


The Library Book

by unsureavenger



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Mortal, Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Mortal AU, Slow Burn, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 55
Words: 113,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28072584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsureavenger/pseuds/unsureavenger
Summary: In a world without demigods, Annabeth Chase has been on the waiting list to check out a book for months. As it turns out, none other than Percy Jackson has the long overdue book, and one day their paths cross in the library.This is a story where two rivals find something good in being together, while discovering the most unexpected things about themselves and each other.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Jason Grace & Percy J. & Hazel Levesque & Piper McLean & Leo Valdez & Frank Zhang, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 95





	1. Nice Uppercut, By The Way

"Okay, this is preposterous," Annabeth declared furiously. She threw her book bag onto the ground and slumped into her seat.

Piper and Leo exchanged furtive looks as they stifled giggles. Jason gave them each a pointed look. "Mind catching us up, Annie?" he hinted. 

Annabeth crossed her arms and scowled. "Don't call me Annie when I'm ready to decapitate somebody," she muttered under her breath. 

"Annabeth," Jason corrected himself. "Okay, what happened this time?" 

"Were you too quick for the AP math class?" Leo piped up. 

Piper snickered. "Too smart for the teachers?" 

Annabeth opened her mouth to say that both were actually right, but she closed it and thought better of the situation. "Shut up. No, I'm talking about how I've been on the wait list for this damn book for five months!" 

"It's a book," Leo repeated. 

"Yes!" 

"Just leave it!" 

"I can't," Annabeth said exasperatedly. "It's supposed to be one of the foremost leading understandings in anthropology." 

Piper stared at her. "I understood exactly seven words in that sentence." 

Annabeth pointedly ignored her, directing most of her frustration towards Jason. "And I've chased after this dumb book for so long, I can't give up now!" 

Jason held up a hand in a 'pause' sign as he turned to Piper and Leo. "We'll meet you by the tree." 

Piper winked at her boyfriend. "Thank you," she said in relief, pulling Leo to his feet. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes as they staggered away, chattering and joking about. When they were gone, Jason turned back to her. "Continue." 

She launched right back into it. "I tried to ask Fanny who's had the book all this time, and apparently, it's been overdue since September!" Annabeth leaned back in her seat and set her chin stubbornly. "She wouldn't tell me the person's name because privacy issues - whatever." 

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe she didn't want you to go to jail for murder?" 

"I wouldn't kill them," Annabeth protested. She shrugged. "Just...maim them a little." 

"Maim them?" Jason repeated. "A little? Wow, you're so nice." 

"Shut up," Annabeth said playfully as she shoved him in the side, making him laugh. Jason had been her best friend all through middle school. He was long used to her meaningless rants. 

Two years year, when they'd first come to high school, Jason had quickly developed a crush on the 'pretty girl' of the school - Piper McLean. Of course, Annabeth had assumed she was the queen bee who would never pay attention to either of them. 

By spring break, the two of them were head over heels for each other and Piper turned out to be the sweetest human being of all time. 

Annabeth was forced to find other friends to spend her time with, and that's when she met Leo Valdez, the only other kid in their year who was in the senior AP calculus class. 

They'd bonded over being the youngest and smartest minds in the class, and Annabeth quickly found that he was the biggest joker ever. Somehow, despite their vastly contrasting personalities, the four of them formed a tight-knit group before their second year in high school. 

Whenever they had free time, the four would sit under the big oak tree outside. No one else sat there. Annabeth didn't think they'd made a threatening note to "stay off their turf", but everyone seemed to know that that was their spot. 

Plus, with Piper McLean with them, no one really dared to say anything against them. 

Except Percy Jackson. 

Annabeth remembered Percy Jackson from kindergarten and middle school. Back then, he'd been a scrawny kid with a goofy smile and missing two front teeth. 

On the first day of high school, he'd shown up, much, much taller and with broader shoulders. His goofy smile disappeared and his resting face was so intimidating even Annabeth had to take a step back sometimes. 

Grover Underwood had been his best friend through the years, and Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang joined them in high school. Last year, Grover left out of the blue - he was moved to another school for kids with physical disabilities. 

Annabeth remembered when she used to be friends with Grover years ago. They'd kind of drifted apart when he met Percy and she'd met Jason. 

Now, Percy, Hazel and Frank were their own group - strictly off limits. Annabeth had only talked to any of them once. They weren't in many of her classes, and that one time had been during a fight. 

It happened before the summer of sophomore year, back when the groups had just formed. 

Annabeth walked out of History with Piper at her side. Her cheerful chattering, annoying at first, had now become endearing and an essential part of her day. 

"So anyway, I told her to back off," Piper continued. "Because I'm not just pretty - I'm also smart." 

Annabeth snorted. "Can't believe Drew called you stupid." 

Piper grinned. "You should've seen her face when I got a 95% on the test." 

Annabeth opened her mouth to make another jab at the bully, when a loud crashing sound could be heard from the lockers. 

"Hey, hey, what-"

Both girls snapped their heads to look at each other simultaneously. "Leo," Annabeth gasped, recognising the voice. 

Taking off in a mad sprint, Annabeth screeched to a horrified halt when she spotted the commotion. 

A massive Asian guy had shoved Leo against one of the lockers, his eyes flashing with anger. It was Frank Zhang, burly defender of the football team. 

"Stop it!" a small girl with dark skin and fluffy hair yelled, her fingers splayed uselessly across Frank's arm as she tried to pull him back. "Get off him!" Annabeth recognised her as Hazel something; Frank's girlfriend. 

"Oh my god, what are you doing?" Annabeth shouted, dumping her bag and books on the floor before she ran up and shoved Frank away from Leo. 

"She's put up with you for so long!" Frank growled at Leo. "She told you to stop hitting on her, and you never stopped!" 

"I didn't mean it that way!" Leo protested, scrambling to his feet. "I flirt with everyone!" 

Frank glared at him threateningly. "Not my girlfriend." 

Annabeth swallowed. Okay, so he was huge and could probably pummel Leo into the ground. 

Students had crowded around to see the fight unfolding, cheering or watching with interest. 

As Frank approached him for a second round, Annabeth leaped in front of Leo, taking a punch to her jaw. A loud crackle could be heard as Frank's knuckles cracked against her face. 

Annabeth choked out a gasp as her hands flew to her bruised jawline. 

Frank had stepped back with horror at seeing what he'd done. "I'm so sorry, I-"

"Hey, don't touch her!" came a yell from behind her. 

Annabeth watched helplessly as Jason raced up beside them and smashed Frank into the row of lockers behind them. 

"Stop it, Jason!" she shrieked, wrenching her friend off the other boy. "What've you done? I'm trying to stop the fight!" 

"He hit you!" 

"I was in the way!" she said snarkily. 

"Doesn't matter!" Jason shouted back, his words cut off as Frank's next hit caused a stream of blood to flow from his nose. 

"Stop! Stop!" Hazel's shouts could barely be heard over the noise that echoed through the corridor. 

Annabeth glanced around wildly. "Someone get a teacher!" she demanded. "Come on!" 

"Get off my friend!" 

Another voice joined the fight as Percy Jackson barrelled in to Frank's defence. 

"Oh my god!" Annabeth yelled in frustration. Leo was lying by a locker, holding his bruised cheek and black eye as Piper stood next to him, glaring at anyone who dared come close. 

"Stop it!" Piper cried. Usually, she had a pretty good persuasive ability, but the boys were too far into it to hear her. 

A deafening thud sent a cold shiver down Annabeth's spine as Jason landed on his back to his the floor, groaning softly. Percy had sucked-punched him and sent him flying. 

Annabeth gritted her teeth. "That's it." 

"You!" Frank growled at Leo. "You've made this mess!" 

"It's not his fault!" Piper said furiously. "You're the asshole who started this fight!" 

Percy was walking up to Jason, ready to take him down again. Annabeth's gaze flickered between Leo and Jason. Between the two of them, Jason was in bigger danger at the moment. 

She rushed towards her fallen friend. "Get away from him!" she yelled savagely. 

Percy glanced at her. She was surprised to see that his expression was tired and gaunt. He definitely didn't look like he wanted to do this. But he was, to protect his friends. 

While Annabeth respected that, she couldn't risk Jason getting anymore hurt. 

So she planted her foot into the ground in front of Jason and delivered her best uppercut to Percy Jackson's face. 

The resulting silence over the student body made Annabeth and Percy's panting all the louder in the quiet hallway. 

"What the hell is going on here?" 

Annabeth closed her eyes, grinding her teeth. Now the principal arrived. Of course. 

That fight had landed all five of them in detention for three months. Leo, Jason and Frank ended up in the infirmary; a broken nose, a black eye, fractured wrists. Annabeth wanted to punch Frank for his hotheadedness. Her father and stepmother had nearly passed out when they'd seen the detention slips. 

If he'd just thought with common sense for a second! 

Of course, the fight had happened anyway, and Annabeth didn't regret punching Percy. She'd left him with a nasty cut on his lower lip and if that was what it took to protect her friends, then so be it. 

The fight had established a rivalry of sorts between their two groups. No more physical fights happened after that - Piper and Hazel saw to that - but no one from either group spoke to each other, and names were muttered with either distaste or contempt. Even now, in their junior year. 

Annabeth and Jason settled in next to Leo and Piper under the tree. They were busy drawing stupid things in the soil. Annabeth could see where all their initials were imprinted at the very bottom of the tree, near the roots. Leo had done them one day when they were bored with nothing to do. 

The rest of the day was uneventful. They played pictionary with sticks for pens and the soil for paper until lunch ended, and the lessons after that were pretty much the same. 

The next day, a Wednesday, Annabeth walked back into the library, ready to be faced with yet more disappointment when her book wasn't there. She briefly considered 'letting it go', as per Leo's suggestion. Annabeth shook the idea out of her head. She'd come way too far for that. 

"Miss, I'm so, so sorry that it's late," a frantically apologetic voice drifted out of the library. Her curiosity got the better of her. Annabeth slowed down her steps as she cautiously approached the door. 

"I borrowed it for my mum," whoever it was continued. A boy, Annabeth guessed. "She's been taking care of the house for my stepdad and she's been so busy. I brought it back as soon as she finished reading it, and I'm so sorry that I kept it until now." 

"Young man," that was Fanny, the librarian. "I know that you didn't mean for this to happen, but you'll have to take a few detentions here. It's school policy." 

There was a groan. "I promised my mum that I'd help her out with chores today." He hesitated. "Can I do it now? Re-label books or whatever it is that needs doing?" 

Annabeth could hear Fanny pausing to think. 

"Okay, then," came Fanny's relenting voice. She was too nice for her own good. "You'll only have to spend the rest of the week." 

There was a sigh of relief. "Thank you, thank you, Miss." 

Annabeth waited for the shuffling sounds to fade away before she stepped into the library, a spirits lifted. An overdue book? That could only mean one thing...

"Good afternoon, Fanny," she said brightly, sliding up to the desk, hoping that her excitement was contained enough to throw off suspicion. 

The librarian clicked her tongue disapprovingly at Annabeth. "Back again? I suppose you just don't eat lunch then." 

"Lunch is for the weak," Annabeth informed her. 

"Well, you're in luck today," Fanny said with a smile. Her right hand reached across the desk and plopped a large hardback book in front of her. "'Sapiens'. I know you've wanted his for months." 

Annabeth wanted to get down and pray, because the day had finally come. After so long a wait, she couldn't believe it had finally happened. "Thank you," she gushed gratefully, grunting as she lifted up the heavy book. "What, is it made of iron?" 

Retreating to her usual table and chair, Annabeth shimmied her school bag off and climbed into the chair, placing the book on the wooden table. Before she opened the lid, Annabeth found herself wondering who exactly had the book before herself. 

Tentatively opening the lid, Annabeth turned to the page with the list of students who had borrowed it and their due dates. The name scrawled across the space above hers sent a frightening jolt through her; "Percy Jackson". 

Annabeth's head snapped up at lightning speed - oh my God - her eyes searching the area. Sure enough, at the table to her left was none other than the boy himself. Windswept black hair and green eyes; it was Percy Jackson alright. 

She hasn't noticed him earlier, but now that she had, she couldn't seem to drop her gaze. His head turned and their eyes met. Green and grey. 

Annabeth frantically averted her gaze, her heart beating wildly out of the norm. Percy Jackson, okay, okay, okay. Totally normal. Unless he still held it against her for punching him in the face. Which he probably did because she'd bloodied his lip in the process and left him with the scar. 

She didn't feel like getting beaten up today. And she certainly didn't want another fight breaking out between him and her friends again. 

Staring pointedly at the book, Annabeth tried her best to ignore Percy's gaze burning into the side of her head. It dropped eventually when he returned to whatever detention activities Fanny had planned for him. 

There wasn't anyone else in the library, because not many high schoolers could read and study and pass it off as cool. Annabeth thought that was a stupid unspoken rule, to be honest. People should be whatever they wanted to be. Who cared what other people thought?

As she refocused on the book, Annabeth found her mind becoming more interested in the story matter and less on Percy Jackson's presence. Occasionally, there would be a student who would drop by the library, maybe to read or check out a book. But the moment they saw both Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson in the same room, well, it was safe to say that the tension in the atmosphere was enough to cut with a knife, and no one wanted to get in the middle of that. 

When the lunch bell sounded, Annabeth disappointedly stuffed the book into her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. "Thanks, Fanny," she called as she headed towards the exit. 

Except Percy was right there too, nearly by her side as he pushed the door open. Annabeth stopped in her tracks, rooted to the spot. She waited patiently for him to leave, only for them to stand there awkwardly for a few seconds. 

"Oh!" Annabeth wanted to slap her forehead. He was holding the door for her. Of course. Hurrying to run through the doors, Annabeth tucked a strand of hair behind each of her ears. "Thanks," she muttered under her breath. 

"No problem," he returned just as quietly.

They continued the walk down the corridor in silence and peak awkwardness. Annabeth wasn't quite sure what to do. Opening the door for her, was that a peace offering? Should she talk to him? 

Annabeth inhaled and forced herself to speak. "I, uh, heard you borrowed the book for your mum." She slid him a tentative glance. 

Percy was looking down at his feet embarrassedly. "Mhm," he murmured. "Yeah, Hazel calls me a mama's boy." 

"I think it's sweet," Annabeth offered. "Nice of you to...to do that." Another moment of tense quiet. 

Percy cleared his throat. "Nice uppercut, by the way." 

Annabeth flushed a dark red. "Oh man," she groaned. "I'm really sorry about that." Her gaze flickered to him. "Oh, I even left you with a scar!" 

"It's fine," Percy shrugged. "Not the worst scar." 

If she was anyone else, Annabeth would've thought he meant that it wasn't the worst scar to have. But she was pretty good at reading people, and that didn't sound like it. 

They had reached the end of the corridor and Percy gestured to the right in questioning. 

"I'm this way," Annabeth blurted out. Actually, she was going his way too, but she didn't know how people would react at the sight of them together. 

Visible relief washed over his face. "Oh, okay. Well, see you?" It came out as an uncertain question and Percy turned on his heel and headed the other way. Annabeth tried not to watch as his retreating figure was joined by Frank and Hazel before disappearing into the crowd. 

She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and started off in the other direction. 

+++++

"You will not believe who I just saw," Annabeth whispered as she hurriedly slid into her chair next to Leo. It was Biology, and they were doing an experiment today. Something about the organelles in plant cells. 

Leo glanced up at her, clearly intrigued, handing over a lab coat and goggles. Annabeth pulled on the coat and rolled up the sleeves - she wasn't exactly the tallest person, so she was always stuck with oversized lab coats that risked being set on fire. 

"Beyoncé?" Leo's eyes widened. 

Annabeth drew back with a snort. "What? Why would I-" She shook her head. "Forget that. No, Percy Jackson." 

Leo's eyebrows shot skyward. "Jesus, I didn't know he'd forgiven you for punching him last year." 

Annabeth nodded in agreement. "Right? Well, apparently he's over it now. Because- okay it's a long story. So remember that overdue book?" When Leo nodded, she continued, "Well, turns out he had it the whole time." 

"Aw, fate," Leo cooed, earning a glare. He waved a hand dismissively. "You know I'm just joking, that guy is terrifying." 

Annabeth winced. "Yeah, agreed." 

"You gonna tell Jason?" Leo asked. 

Annabeth hesitated. She told Jason practically everything. She always had. "I don't know," she admitted. "He and Percy really, really don't get along." 

"Piper said they nearly got into another fight at football practice," Leo pulled a face. 

Annabeth frowned. "Yeah, probably better if I don't. Doesn't matter anyway. Thank goodness, I'm not going to see him again. He's got detention in the library for the rest of the week, so I'm just gonna read under the tree instead." 

Leo chuckled. "Wow, you really go out of your way to avoid social contact." 

"Just with him," Annabeth reassured.


	2. You’re, Like, A Garden Gnome

Annabeth slowed behind the pillar, peering round it to check if anyone was around. The glass doors to the library entrance was just a few feet away, and if she was caught in he act now... 

Okay, so she should probably explain why she had become an undercover ninja. Well, since a certain someone had made the library a cursed place for her to be at the moment, Annabeth had spent her lunches under the tree trying to finish her book. 

She'd gone through it fairly quickly and finished this afternoon - Friday afternoon, to be more specific. The book weighed about three kilograms, and Annabeth wasn't about to carry that on the bus and the walk all the way home. So here she was, sneaking into the library at 6pm to return her book. Fanny had probably left an hour ago, declaring the library off limits till tomorrow, but Annabeth knew for a fact that she always left the key under the mat. 

The blonde girl slid her hand under the mat and triumphantly pulled out a small metal key. As she pushed the key in and started to jimmy it open, the door pushed forward with her force. 

Annabeth frowned. She hadn't even turned the key yet. Pocketing the library key, Annabeth tried the right door. Sure enough, it swung open silently without much effort. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. Of course, Fanny had forgotten to lock up today. Though, she was in luck. Annabeth made a mental note to lock up after she left. 

She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. Backing away from the door, Annabeth felt a grin spread across her face as she revelled in her successful break-in. 

"Lame," she could almost hear Piper say. Annabeth laughed to herself, hiking her bag up higher as she turned around-

"Ah!" Annabeth clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her scream. She could've sworn her heart had stopped beating. "Jesus Christ!" 

Percy Jackson was sitting at one of the tables, an earbud in his hand and his mouth hanging open. Papers were spread all across the desk and a pen dropped from his hand. 

"Oh my God," Annabeth whispered as she grabbed the librarian's desk to steady herself. "What are you doing here?" she nearly shrieked. 

"What are you doing here?" Percy demanded in return. "Miss Norbury said no one should be in here after 5." 

Annabeth gave him a pointed glare. 

"Okay, she gave me special permission," Percy added. His hurried covering up of his work didn't pass her unnoticed. 

Slowly walking up to him, Annabeth has to squint to see the papers on his desk. "Are you doing..." Annabeth paused. "Math?" 

Percy flushed a dark red. "No." 

"Yeah, this is the homework from today's class," Annabeth said slowly. "Why are you..." Her voice trailed off as she realised that all of his week's homework was spread across the table. "Why don't you do your homework at home?" 

She realised her mistake when Percy's face closed up up and a cold expression overtook his usual friendly one. This was the face that intimidated everyone. 

"None of our business," he said shortly, stuffing papers back into his bag. 

"Hey, wait-" Annabeth's voice cut off abruptly as she caught sight of a white scar peaking over the back of his shirt collar. A massive white scar, actually. "Hold on!" 

He didn't stop walking, just tightened his grip on his bag. 

"Okay, stop!" Annabeth ordered sharply. 

She saw his jaw clenched as he spun around to face her. "What do you want?" he manges between gritted teeth. 

"Stop being so mad," Annabeth insisted. She dropped her bag and slowly approached him. "The scar on your back." 

Percy seemed to stiffen all at once, his expression morphing from anger to fear. 

"The reason you're in school so late and not at home," she continued. "You-you don't want to go home," Annabeth realised with a start. Horror overcome her as she pieced two and two together. "Oh my God, Percy-"

She watched helplessly as he sunk into the seat at his feet and buried his face in his hands. 

"Damn," he muttered, looking up warily. "They said you were smart. They didn't say how smart." 

Annabeth waved a hand dismissively. She hesitantly pulled up the seat beside him and sat herself down in it. "Your mother, father?" 

"Can you not tell anyone?" Percy said suddenly. 

Annabeth felt her mouth opening and closing without any words. Finally, she shook some sense into her head. "What?"

He ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. "If people find out, he'll hurt her instead of me. I can't - I can't let that happen." 

"Your mother doesn't know? But she married him." 

"We were in a tough spot," Percy said vaguely. "She married him for the money he promised. If she knew, she'd leave him, and she'd have to go back to a life of working three jobs and starving to take care of me." Percy's fist clenched on the table. "I can't-she's been through too much to go back to that." 

Annabeth reached for words - any words. But for someone who always had something today, for the first time, she was left speechless. She knew Percy's parents; they lived down the street. Gabe, his step-dad, and Sally, his mother. She was the sweetest woman Annabeth had ever met and always greeted her. 

"You study," she blurted out before she could think better of it. 

Percy blinked. "What?" 

"You weren't just doing homework," Annabeth explained. "You were studying. For next week's math test." 

Percy looked down at his hands. "We don't all have the luxury of being naturally smart." 

Annabeth flushed, a glare forming. 

"Sorry," he relaxed a little, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm a little of edge, understandably." Percy shrugged. "If I do well in school, I get to college and I get out of here, we won't have to see that dirtbag anymore." He swallowed. "Although, at the rate I'm going, I doubt I'll even pass high school." 

What she did next was probably the most impulse decision Annabeth had ever made. But there was someone here, albeit someone she didn't get along with, but he was hurting and he had no way out. It sounded too familiar for Annabeth to just turn her head. 

"I'll help you," she said determinedly. 

Percy replies with a strange look. "What?" 

"Study - I'll help you study," Annabeth repeated. "You need help, and I'm not a heartless person so I'm going to help you." 

"I'm dyslexic," Percy told her. "And ADHD. And annoying, as you've said multiple times over the years." 

Annabeth blushed. "You, uh, you heard that?" 

Even though he nodded, his eyes weren't filled with contempt, just hesitation and uncertainty. "Word travels." 

"Doesn't matter," Annabeth said quickly. "Leo's dyslexic. I help him out with English sometimes. The ADHD thing isn't a problem. I'll find some way to get you to focus. And you're going to have to work on the 'annoying' bit because I can't really solve that." 

"Hey," he protested. "I'm not annoying." 

Annabeth shrugged. "Sure." 

Percy snorted. "Thanks a lot, smarty-pants." 

She cocked an eyebrow. "Congratulations on learning how to speak like a third grader." 

Percy rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. You win. I'm annoying, ha ha ha." 

"Good, that's settled. But we can't do it here," Annabeth said with a more serious tone. She winced. "Don't know how to put it exactly, but if my friends knew I was talking to you..." 

Alarm passed over his face. "Same here. What about the coffee shop?" 

Annabeth stared at him. "Starbucks?" 

"No, a real coffee shop," Percy corrected. "Walter's. It's on our street." 

Annabeth scrunched up her nose. "I don't drink coffee. Caffeine stunts your growth." 

Percy stared at her. "Really? You're, like, a garden gnome." 

"I am a perfectly average height," Annabeth crossed her arms stubbornly. "You're just..." She waved her hands around. "A giraffe." 

"A giraffe," Percy repeated with a smirk. 

"Okay, screw you, honestly," Annabeth retorted. 

"Well, I work a shift at Walter's on the weekends. No one else we know goes there," Percy pointed out. 

Annabeth frowned. "But it's coffee." 

"You don't have to do this, y'know," Percy assured her. "Tutor me and all that."

Annabeth groaned and relented. "Yes I do. Your puppy seal eyes are annoying too. So Walter's, they sell juice and stuff, right?" 

The sound of a door slamming open interrupted Percy's answer. 

The two students froze as the janitor pushed her trolley into the room, an amused expression on his face. 

"Hey, Fred," Percy said awkwardly. 

Annabeth whirled to look at him incredulously. Was he friends with all the staff in this school? She waved at the janitor with a blush coating her cheeks. 

"I'm letting you off another time," Fred said threateningly, but he seemed fond of Percy. "At least you aren't making out this time." 

"Bye, Fred!" Percy yelped, leaping out of his seat as he grabbed his bag. Annabeth nearly burst out into laughter; just imagining Percy being caught red-handed making out with a student in school. 

Annabeth followed at his heels, saying a quick "thank you" to Fred as she hurried out the library. It was only when they reached the school front doors that Annabeth came to a halt, panting and laughing intermittently. 

"Not funny," Percy said accusatorially. "He scared her off." 

"Oh, her?" Annabeth feigned surprise. She knew very well that Percy Jackson was one of the most sought-after boys at their school. And that he was straight, if the few girls he'd dated were any proof. Not that she judged too early, he might be bisexual for all she knew. 

"Why is that the part that surprises you?" Percy said in disbelief as they traipsed down the steps. 

When they got to the bottom, Annabeth pulled out her phone. "Do you want to put in your number? Y'know, so we can co-ordinate for tomorrow?" 

Percy looked surprised, but he did pass her his phone in exchange. When they returned the phones, Annabeth burst into laughter at the contact name. "'Taller than you'," she read out. 

"Garden Gnome," Percy chuckled as he pocketed his phone. "Thanks for this. Again." 

"It's fine," Annabeth shrugged. "I need things to do this weekend anyway." 

Since they were headed back the same way, Annabeth spent another half an hour by Percy's side, exchanging playful jabs and talking about their lives. 

She didn't prod anymore; Annabeth sensed he'd already told her more than anyone else. It was confusing because they'd only really met about three days ago. 

When she stopped in front of her building and waved goodbye to him, Annabeth realised that she'd just had multiple conversations with Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson. If their friends found out...Annabeth pushed it out of her mind. 

A problem for another time.

+++++

Annabeth overslept the next morning. She'd fallen asleep stunned that she'd actually held a conversation with Percy Jackson. As in, her best friends' archenemy. 

She woke up to the sound of her phone trying to vibrate itself off her desk. There was a clatter when it actually did. Annabeth took a few moments to wake up her brain before she rolled over and sleepily dragged her phone off the floor. 

'where are you????????'

'annieeeeeeeeee you're lateeeeee'

And so on. At least 90 text messages from Piper, purposefully misspelt and filled to the brim with grammatical errors. Annabeth knew that the other girl was doing it to provoke her into replying. 

It worked. Kind of. 

'who taught you english?' Annabeth rapidly typed back. 'and what?'

'we're hanging out today? ice skating? helloooo were you not listening?' 

Annabeth groaned internally. They must've arranged something while she was reading her book that she'd unknowingly agreed to do. Ice skating was...not her forte.

Yeah, she might be on multiple sports teams, but ice skating required a kind of dancer's build and balance that Annabeth just didn't have. Back in middle school, she'd actually chipped her upper tooth crashing into the barrier. 

'you promised :(' Piper again. Annabeth rolled her eyes. One day she'd have to stop falling for the sad faces. 

'be there in half an hour'

Annabeth shoved her phone into backpack and stumbled towards the bathroom. And fifteen minutes later, she was fully dressed; hair in a rough ponytail and her grey "ice skating" leggings. 

"Where are you going?" 

Annabeth stopped in her tracks and turned around to see her stepmother taking out the laundry. 

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot," Annabeth rushed, pulling on her socks and sneakers. "Ice skating with the others." 

"I thought you were meeting someone for coffee at 3?" Helen asked in confusion. 

Annabeth winced. "Yeah, I might be a little rushed for time but I'll figure it out." Her parents were usually pretty relaxed about her going out, as long as she gave them advance notice and it wasn't at some ungodly hour at night. "Is it okay?" 

Helen feigned thoughtfulness. "Well, it's just Piper, Jason and Leo, right?" Annabeth nodded vigorously. "Well, I'll need their parents' phone numbers." 

"Helen!" 

"I'm kidding!" Helen protested with a laugh. "I already have their numbers." 

Annabeth couldn't help but laugh as she hopped out the door. "Bye! See you!" 

Her life seemed to be going right today because the bus was on time. She reached the mall only ten minutes later than she'd initially told Piper. After buying tickets and forcing her feet into the unholy cages that were ice skates, Annabeth started her long and painful hobble onto the ice rink. 

There was a cheer in the background that was getting louder, and when she turned around, Leo zoomed up next to her and leaned on the barrier. "Hey, you made it!" 

Annabeth pulled a face. "Yeah, against my will. Piper tried to kill my phone." She glanced around. "Where is she anyway?" 

Leo scanned the rink helplessly. "Uh, no idea. Probably off with Jason making their lovey-dovey eyes." 

Annabeth wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Like the ones in English?" Piper and Jason always had this 'in love' look across the room, no matter where they were. It was annoying sometimes because when they did it, neither of them could pay attention to anything else. Such as doing a certain History project with Annabeth, but she'd let it go. 

"Do you want me to hang around?" Leo asked her. 

"And annoy me?" Annabeth retorted. "No thanks." She had both hands gripped to the barrier. "I'll just...waddle." 

Leo grinned. "We're going for lunch after this. You'll like that much better." 

Annabeth felt her stomach rumble as she sighed happily. "Good idea. Pizza Hut, please." She hadn't had anything actually good for a week. Occasionally, she and Piper would do a small diet to drop a few pounds or whatever they needed to. Since she was pretty sporty, it wasn't a big concern for Annabeth, but it was more for health than anything else. 

The only good part about it was being able to eat something she loved after it was over. And Annabeth loved Pizza Hut. It wasn't real pizza but she still liked it. 

"Pizza Hut," Leo frowned. 

"Excuse me, did you go on low-carbs the whole week?" Annabeth demanded. "No, okay, I'm choosing the food today." 

Leo rolled his eyes. "Fine." His gaze suddenly froze on her face. "Okay, don't look now, but there's a guy coming over here." Leo winked at her as shot off. 

"Hey, Leo, no!" Annabeth hissed, trying to hurry after him. Walking on ice was about as difficult as it sounded. "Don't leave me!" Letting out a furious breath, Annabeth spun around and nearly fell when she saw someone behind her. 

"Oh, sorry!" the boy said sheepishly. "Didn't mean to scare you." Annabeth eyed him suspiciously. What did he want? "I just thought you were pretty." 

Annabeth relaxed slightly. "Oh, thanks." He wasn't too bad himself; green eyes and blonde hair. He looked around her age. "Sorry for almost crashing into you. I'm Annabeth." 

The boy gave her a wave and a grin. "Brady, nice to meet you." He ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, I actually came over to ask you out." 

Annabeth nearly choked on air. "Really?" she said incredulously. She didn't know that people still did that. 

"Actually, my friends were egging me on to do it," Brady admitted. Annabeth followed his gestures to a group of boys standing a little away from them and conversing in hushed whispers. 

"You can tell them you got my number," Annabeth suggested. "I won't tell." 

Brady shuffled his feet. "Actually, I do want your number, if that's okay with you?" 

Annabeth thought for a moment. Okay, random guy at the mall. Probably her age? Might be a serial killer or something; she had no idea. "I'm not really dating at the moment," she said apologetically. "But I'll give you my number, and you can call me up some time, see how I feel?" 

Brady's expression brightened instantaneously. "Oh, okay, cool," he tried nonchalantly, passing her his phone. Annabeth laughed as she typed her number into it and gave it back. 

"You need some help skating?" Brady offered. 

Annabeth snorted. "Is it that bad?" 

As it turned out, Brady was a pretty good skater too, and they became fast friends during next hour. Annabeth even introduced him to Leo, who declared, "Wow, I've now been upgraded to the fifth wheel." 

When the session ended, Annabeth had to admit that she'd had a lot of fun, surprisingly. 

"Use that number," she reminded him before she left with her friends. "It's not just there for fun." He probably wasn't a serial killer, she'd decided. 

Brady shot her a thumbs-up and a grin before she turned away and followed Jason towards the elevator. "He seems nice," her friend remarked. 

"Are you gonna date him?" Piper asked curiously. 

Annabeth shrugged curiously as the doors closed with a 'ding'. "Maybe. I mean, why not?"


	3. Like Really, Really Smart

The bells dangling above the front door rung as they hit each other. Percy glanced up from his coffee-making to see a familiar face walk in. 

It was Annabeth Chase. Her curly blonde hair was bunched up in a ponytail and she was wearing leggings, a black miniskirt, and a loose grey knit sweater over a white tank top. 

After a few moments of indecision, Percy waved her over and grinned when he saw her eyes light up with recognition. It was weird seeing Annabeth and not making a point to avoid her. Percy couldn't remember the last time they'd actually spoken civilly. 

"Hey," she said breathlessly. "Sorry, I thought I'd be late and ended up being five minutes early." 

Percy shrugged. "It's fine. I'm almost done. Can I get you anything? On me," he assured her. She was doing him a favour by tutoring him. 

Annabeth's gaze roved over the menu. She pulled a face. "It's all coffee," she said distastefully. 

"Ah, we have a non-drinker," Walter announced, walking up behind Percy. Walter was the owner of the coffee shop - as named - and an old friend of Percy's mum. "Who's your date, Percy?" He extended a hand. "Walter Bruno, pleasure to meet you." 

"Annabeth Chase." Annabeth looked like she was about to burst into laughter. "Yeah, I'm not his date," she snorted. "I'm not on the cheerleading team. I don't meet the requirements." 

"I don't always date cheerleaders," Percy protested indignantly. "What about Reyna?" 

"She's the only one," Annabeth reminded him. "Doesn't count." She chewed on her lower lip. "Do you have any tea or juice?" 

Walter groaned. "Oh, come on. Let Percy make you a latte," he insisted. "I promise you'll change your mind after this." 

Annabeth frowned. "Doubt it." 

"I'm paying anyway, just let me choose something," Percy told her. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Fat chance." She placed a five dollar bill on the counter. "I'll have an earl grey, please. No sugar or milk." Percy took the money begrudgingly and placed in her order. 

When Percy's shift ended, he hung up his apron and slid into the seat beside Annabeth. "What were you doing this morning?" he asked. 

Annabeth shrugged. "Ice skating with friends." 

Alarm bells started to go off in Percy's head. "You didn't-"

Her horrified expression matched his feelings. "Oh God, no. If they knew we were doing this, Jason would give me the full lecture." 

"Please, Frank would go after that Valdez kid again," Percy muttered. "Hazel and I can only do so much." He pulled out a few sheets of their math homework. "Okay, so there's all this stuff that I don't get at all." 

Annabeth glanced over the papers for a few seconds. "Yeah, this is pretty straightforward. It's solving algebraic quadratics. We did it in freshman year." 

Percy winced. "Yeah, pretty sure I was out sick that week." 

Annabeth gave him one of her looks. It was inexplicable, but Percy felt compelled to tell her the truth. "Out sick or out sick?" Her gaze flickered to where she knew the scars were on his back. 

Percy shrugged. "Not sure." Oh, he remembered clearly. Gabe had come home that night drunk out of his mind from the tavern. Sally had been in a writing seminar, leaving Percy to fend for himself against Gabe's new leather belt. The old scar on his waist felt like it was opening up again. 

Annabeth didn't appear convinced but, thankfully, she dropped it anyway. "Okay, so there are four ways to solve quadratics; factorising, graphs..." 

Percy wondered if he could order a black coffee from Walter and how long it would take. He kind of needed the caffeine after a restless sleep last night. He'd stayed up for a bit wondering about how the whole 'Annabeth and him' dynamic. It was so complicated it made his head spin. 

She seemed alright, but her friends - especially the blonde one - definitely didn't like him or his friends. The fight that erupted between them had been explosive and nearly got them suspended. If Frank or Jason Grace ever found out...

"Percy!" 

Percy blinked as an exasperated voice pulled him out of his reverie. Annabeth was snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Hello?" she said. "You okay?" 

Percy blushed. "Sorry, ADHD. When someone starts to talk about math, my brain kind of just switches off." 

He expected her to roll her eyes, but Annabeth just rearranged the papers. "It's fine," she promised. "Not your fault." 

Honestly, he was surprised. Most people got annoyed when his mind started to drift off. They didn't seem to understand that he really was trying to pay attention. His brain just didn't seem to get the message. 

Annabeth started over again, and this time, Percy really tried his best to listen to what she was saying. There were graphs, factorising, and the completing of the square. Most of these terms weren't associated with anything in Percy's brain until Annabeth started to do the working out on her notepad. 

Percy once again found himself distracted by the doodles in her book. There were a few scribbled drawings of flowers, probably done when class bored her, but majority of it were math equations or numbers that didn't make sense to him but probably did to her. 

"You're smart," Percy said suddenly. "Like really, really smart." He pointed to the scribbles in her book. "Geez, I don't even know most of these symbols." 

Her cheeks had become coloured red. "Thanks." It was kind of common knowledge that Annabeth was the smartest kid in their school, but Percy still found the things she could do pretty impressive and surreal. 

Their tuition session continued like this. Occasionally, Percy would zone out, but Annabeth would pull him back in a few seconds later. She never got frustrated with him for that, which was refreshing compared to other people. 

After Percy's first coffee, the caffeine started to worsen his ADHD and make him jittery, so Annabeth placed a ban on his caffeine during all hours of their tuition sessions. He'd frowned at that and tried to bargain by saying he'd fall asleep more easily. 

"I doubt anyone can fall asleep more easily than you already do," Annabeth told him with a serious face, but her eyes sparkled with laughter. 

It took them till 6pm to finish Percy's Math and English homework. That was a whole three hours. And those were just two of his many subjects. "I'm never going to pass high school," Percy declared as he slumped further into his chair. 

Annabeth glared at him. "No negativity," she insisted, stacking and organising his papers. "Come on, you're doing really well. I mean, you've got quadratics down and nearly finished the paper on Romeo and Juliet's Act 1." She elbowed him in the side. "You should be proud of yourself. That's pretty damn good." 

Percy slid her a begrudging smile. "Thank you." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "What time do you have to be home for dinner?" 

She thought for a moment. "Seven." 

Percy shrugged. "There's a great ice cream place in the park. Do you want to get something?" 

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. 

"Not a date," Percy added hurriedly. "A thank you." 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine. We're still splitting the cost." 

When they'd hiked their rucksacks on and started making their way out of Walter's, Percy led the way to the park on the next street. He used to go to the playground there all the time when he was a kid, but ever since Gabe had come into their lives, he hadn't really had much time other than to grab a quick ice cream with Hazel and Frank. 

Speaking of them...Percy's phone promptly buzzed. He pulled it out and checked the notification. "It's from Hazel," he informed Annabeth. "Asking to come over tonight." 

Annabeth looked stricken. "Isn't she dating Frank?" 

Percy wrinkled his nose. "Oh, gross. No, not like that. For a game night. Hazel's old-fashioned that way; she insists on playing board games at least once a week. We're all pretty bad so it's mostly a contest of who's the least worst." 

Annabeth grinned. "Oh, you're lucky I'm not friends with them. I'd absolutely destroy you all at Monopoly." 

"See, I know we have this rivalry of who's better at stuff, but this time, yeah, you probably would," Percy admitted, earning a laugh. When he looked up, he realised that they'd come up to the ice cream stand outside the park's main cafe. 

"Oh, hey, Bonnie," Annabeth said cheerily as she approached the older woman at the cashier. She had a friendly appearance and grey streaks in her loose bun. 

"Ah, Annabeth, how are you?" Bonnie returned with a smile. 

"Good, good," Annabeth assured her. "I've got someone else with me today." She gestured to Percy, who chuckled in return. 

Percy grinned at her. "Yeah, I know Bonnie. How's Layla?" he asked. Layla was Bonnie's dog; a beautiful border collie. 

Bonnie shrugged. "She's doing okay. The old leg's been a problem, but she's been better recently." She eyed the two of them. "I didn't know you two were friends." 

Percy didn't really know what to say to that. Were they even friends? 

"We're in the same school," Annabeth said vaguely. "Just helping him with some work." 

"It's been great chatting," Bonnie said happily, peering around Annabeth's shoulder. "But I think a line's building up." 

"Oh, of course, the usual for me please," Annabeth requested politely. 

Percy nodded. "Me too." 

Bonnie handed them a scoop of mango sorbet and one of blueberry swirl. Percy paid for the ice cream, dragging Annabeth away before she could protest. 

"You can get my coffee next time," he promised her. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I guess that makes sense." She frowned. "You'd better let me. I don't like owing people things. Makes me feel weird." 

"I get that," Percy started. He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Annabeth's face. She had started eating the ice cream and had the most hilarious spot of mango ice cream on the top of her nose. 

She seemed to catch on to his strange look, because she furrowed her eyebrows. "What?" 

"Uh," Percy disguised a laugh under a cough. "Nothing." He rapidly whipped out his phone and snapped a picture of her, the flash going off and catching her surprised expression. 

"Hey!" Annabeth said indignantly. "What-" She grabbed his phone and her mouth fell open in horror when she saw the picture. "Percy, no!" Almost instantly, she drew up her sleeve and wiped the spot off her nose, blush coating her cheeks. 

Percy snatched the phone back, stumbling away between peals of laughter as he typed away at the screen. 

"No! Delete that!" Annabeth protested as she sprinted after him. "I look so stupid in it!" 

Unable to stop laughing, Percy showed her his screen; the photograph had been set as the picture for her contact on his phone. "You look nice," he lied insistently. In the picture, eyes were wide from the flash and her cheeks were flushed pink from the nipping icy wind. 

She glowered as he pocketed his phone. "You're such a seaweed brain," Annabeth complained. 

"A-a what?" Percy spluttered. 

"A seaweed brain," Annabeth repeated with a glare. "Because you swim and your head has been filled with so much seaweed that you just annoy me to death." 

Percy stared at her. "That made no sense whatsoever." 

"Shut up," she whined, shoving him in the side. 

Percy tripped over a rock, and what happened next was in terrifying slow motion. His jaw dropped in horror as the scoop of blueberry ice cream slid straight off his cone and fell onto the grass with a splat! 

"No!" Percy let out a strangled cry. "Why would you do that?" He whirled around to see Annabeth doubling over with guffaws. 

"Serves - you - right -" she managed, laughing uncontrollably. Then Annabeth glanced up and saw his sad puppy eyes. Except they were more like sad seal eyes. 

Finally, she let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, stop it, you can some of mine," she said reluctantly, holding out her cone. 

Percy smirked as he ran up and grabbed a spoon from Bonnie's stall. They took their seats on a bench further out and shared the ice cream. It was like a war zone, with Annabeth flicked his hand every now and then to protect her share of the ice cream. 

"Hey, you've had, like, five spoonfuls," Percy protested, his hand flinching back as she hit it away. 

"It's my ice cream!" 

"You killed mine!"


	4. I’m Not Pining

Percy strolled into school on Monday in a great mood. His weekend had been a rare good one, what with his time with Annabeth and game night with Hazel and Frank. 

Twister with them had been the funniest, since Frank was just about the clumsiest person Percy knew and had nearly crushed them when he collapsed on Hazel and Percy after trying to move his right foot to 'red'. They'd rolled away from each other, Hazel clutching her stomach as endless giggles left her lips. Frank had gone as red as a tomato and was incapable of going back to his normal colour for the rest of the night. 

Gabe had been in an okay mood, which, while it put Percy on edge and very tense, left him without any injuries. Almost a whole week; it had to be his new record. 

"Hey, Percy!" 

Percy waved to Travis and Connor Stoll, the pranksters in his History class, as they passed him in the hallway. After greeting a few other people, he pulled his locker open and started piling his books into his school bag. 

"Percy!" came a cheerful voice. It was Hazel, ready to walk with him to Chemistry, which they had together on Monday mornings. It was just about the only good thing when starting a new week. "Good morning!" 

"Morning, Hazel," Percy sang as he sling his bag over his shoulder. 

"You're happy today," Hazel said, astonished. 

"That makes me sound so moody." 

"No, you're usually all down in the dumps," she insisted. "What's different?" 

Percy opened his mouth to reply when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was Annabeth, walking between Jason and Leo, chatting as they left their lockers and started heading to class. 

His gaze caught hers for a moment, and Percy suddenly realised with a jolt that he couldn't even tell her 'good morning'. Jason Grace and Leo Valdez were right there, and Hazel was next to him. 

Annabeth didn't even flash that irritated smile she usually used with him. Percy didn't shoot his lopsided grin at her. She lowered her gaze about the same time he did and continued on her way down the hall. 

Percy turned back to Hazel, swallowing. "Nothing." 

After Chemistry was Physics, and Monday morning's double science had always been painful for Percy. Right after that History and elective A - Computer Science for Percy. He honestly wasn't quite sure why he'd taken that subject, especially since neither Hazel nor Frank was in his class and he wasn't really interested by it. 

Lunch was different, for once. Percy was queuing up for his food - later than other students because he'd stayed behind for extra help after Computer Science. Everyone else was already seated at tables; Frank and Hazel were talking animatedly a few tables away, waiting for him. 

The sound of a tray clattering behind him made Percy turn around in surprise, only to see a familiar blonde ponytail. It was Annabeth, she must've ended her last class late as well. 

Percy didn't know whether to acknowledge her presence or not. To his disbelief, Percy actually considered her his friend. If nothing else, she had given him help when he really didn't have anywhere else to go. 

But this was school. They weren't at Walter's, where no one was around to judge them. So Percy just grabbed his plate of steak and walked off with his tray, simultaneously pointedly avoiding her gaze. 

Either she was doing the same or he was getting good at it. 

He muttered a quick "hey" as he took the seat next to Hazel. The weirdest thing was that Percy found himself distracted over Annabeth's presence. He'd gone two years without talking to her unnecessarily, so why did he suddenly feel disappointed? 

"Because he misses her!" 

Percy blinked, stunned to near speechlessness. "I-w-what?" He gave Hazel a look of pure astonishment. 

"Reyna," Hazel clarified, which did little to calm Percy's racing heart. For a moment there he'd thought she'd read his mind or something. 

"Oh," Percy said with relief. Immediately, he wrinkled his nose. "Wait, what?" 

Frank nodded enthusiastically. "She's right. You only ever brood like this when there's a girl involved." 

Percy felt his face heat up. They didn't know it, but there was a girl - just not in the way they might imagine. "I don't miss Reyna," he insisted. 

"You were devastated when she broke up with you," Hazel said pointedly. 

"Yeah, but that was, like, three months ago," Percy reminded. He and Reyna had been a couple from last November to August, when she'd broken it off abruptly in the middle of summer. 

They were hesitant friends though, and even Percy had to admit that most of his feelings for her had faded over time. 

"If you're really over her," Frank started. "Then who're you pining after now?" 

Percy flushed. "I'm not pining." 

Hazel's eyes widened. "Oh my God, is there someone else?" 

"It sounds like I cheated on you." 

"Is it Drew?" Hazel said secretively, throwing a furtive glance over her shoulder as if to check for eavesdroppers. 

Percy snorted. "Definitely not." He and Drew had had a small fling at the start of school in September - mostly as a rebound after Reyna. She'd understood what she was getting into at that point, but for some reason, was now convinced that he was planning to ask her out again. 

"Who's the new girl?" Hazel demanded. "You can't hide it from me," she said accusatorially. 

Percy shrugged. "There isn't a girl." 

Hazel gave him one of her looks. "Fine," she said, miffed. "Don't tell me." 

Frank was still scrutinising him. "It's Rachel Dare, isn't it?" 

Percy really felt like a tomato this time. 

Hazel's mouth fell open. "The redhead from my art class?" 

This was where Percy hit pause. 

His first option was for his friends to pester him until he cracked and revealed everything about Annabeth and their friendship, or whatever they had. 

His other option was to take Frank's guess and pretend that this Rachel girl was his mystery crush. 

Since the first option would effectively end his arrangement with Annabeth and probably cause him another injury at the hands of her friends, Percy grasped the straw he was handed. 

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "It's Rachel." Of he thought back for enough, Percy could recall the vague image of a girl with fiery hair and green eyes in his head. 

"She's a cheerleader," Hazel realised. "One of Silena's, right?" 

Frank frowned. "Doesn't that make it kind of weird?" 

Percy winced. Silena Beauregard was considered to be one of the prettiest girls in school. She really was, with a matching personality. She was also kind of the leader of her circle; Rachel Dare, Katie Gardener, Clarisse La Rue and Reyna. One of Annabeth's friends, Piper McLean, was pretty good friends with them. 

Percy and Silena had dated a little in their freshman year. It had only been one date, because they quickly realised that they were pretty much meant to be just friends. Percy had followed that up by going out with Katie for a few months, but that had ended on a friendly note too. 

And then he'd harboured his feelings for Reyna during the start of his second year till their break-up over the summer. 

Hazel stifled a snicker. "Making your way through the group?" 

Percy rolled his eyes. If he thought about it objectively, he had had quite a lot of girlfriends. According to Silena, he was apparently a playboy. Or a less nice word equivalent to that. 

But personally, he didn't really think of himself that way. All his exes were nice people and none of them had really caused terrible splits (except for Drew). He didn't really regret any of his relationships. 

"Let me guess, is Clarisse next?" Hazel teased, giggling her butt off. 

Percy and Frank both paled visibly at the mention of the formidable football player. She was the only girl on the team and one of their best players. She and Percy kind of had a friendly rivalry ever since she'd shoved his head into a toilet on the first day of middle school. 

Clarisse was terrifying and probably the scariest person Percy had ever met. He was absolutely sure that she would turn the head of anyone who ever asked her on a date inside out. 

"So are you planning to ask her out?" Frank asked curiously. 

Percy shrugged. "I don't know. Pretty sure she doesn't like me." 

Hazel crossed her arms obstinately. "You're kidding me, right? The entire school likes you, Percy. That's kind of the reason why you're popular?" 

"Didn't realise you were this oblivious," she muttered under her breath. 

Percy scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I mean, I don't really think popularity-" 

"You are," Hazel interrupted in a matter-of-fact tone. "Us by default. Silena's group, I guess, and then, of course, Grace and his gang." 

"And the three witches," Frank added with a chuckle. that was they nickname for the trio of girls who never missed an opportunity to torment their peers; Kelli Star, Drew Tanaka and Nancy Bobofit. 

Hazel pulled a face. She'd had too many unfriendly encounters with them, and over time, had learned to stand up for herself. They didn't risk bothering her anymore. 

Percy's last two lessons were Math and English. Math was difficult but he could do it, English, on the other hand, was probably his least favourite subject. 

It was safe to say that Miss Benson was surprised to see him handing in his homework on surds on time as well as fully completed. 

English was a boring subject, but Mr Blowfis made it a lot better. He was the friendly, nice kind of teacher, who let the students call him Paul outside of school. But he didn't let anything slide, which Percy appreciated, since Matt, Nancy, and Luke were in his class. 

As the last bell sounded, most students started rushing out of their classrooms in a mad dash to get home. For Percy, it wasn't over yet. At the beginning of the year, Percy had signed up for the most time-consuming extra-curriculars to keep him in school. 

Gabe had promised to never hit Percy's mother if he would take the heat instead, but that didn't mean Percy couldn't stay in school and avoid the worst of Gabe's drunken rage. 

Football and the swim team were perfect for that. 

Percy and Frank discussed his Twister fall at length in the lockers. Their conversations were vastly different from others that took place. 

There was Luke Castellan and Matt Sloan talking about some girl. Charles Beckendorf and Jason trying to plan new throws across the field. Chris Rodriguez was explaining to Will Solace about his complicated new relationship with Clarisse. She was also on the team, but got ready in the girls' changing room instead. 

"First practice of the year," Matt said triumphantly. "You think the cheerleaders will come out?" He slid Luke a smirk that made Percy roll his eyes. 

"Yeah, like they're all dying to see you," Percy muttered under his breath to Frank. He realised his mistake when Matt rounded on him and scowled. 

"You got something smart to say, Jackson?" Matt challenged. Percy resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. He didn't usually provoke Matt, but it seemed that his problem with keeping his mouth shut was really acting up today. 

"Nothing," Percy said curtly. "Except you talk about them like they're objects when they're not." Percy could feel Jason's scrutinising gaze burning into the back of his head. 

"I don't see them protesting," Matt chuckled. "Especially not Drew last night." 

Percy wrinkled his nose. "Gross, dude. We didn't need to know that." He grabbed his jersey and pulled it over his padding before he stalked out of the changing room, Frank at his side. 

Being the quarterback, and technically, the captain of the team, Percy wasn't supposed to get into fights with his teammates. Jason Grace was already too obnoxious for his liking, but Matt Sloan was way beyond that. He treated other people like they were nothing, especially Percy, which he hated. It took all his discipline not to sock him in the nose everyday. 

Luke Castellan wasn't nearly as bad as him. In fact, when he was alone, Percy found him tolerable. A little bland, though at least he wasn't the devil reincarnate. But whenever both Matt and Luke were together, they were a horrible duo that made Percy question his faith in humanity. Okay, that was a little dramatic, but they really sucked. 

After a tense huddle where Percy informed them of their new seasons' plays and Coach Hedge's inspiring pep talk - "This year is our year! We're gonna take the league like Chuck Norris owns karate movies! Go, cupcakes, go!" - Coach Hedge blew the whistle and they started practice. 

The cheerleaders practiced on the track beside them, executing cartwheels and flying kicks to perfection. There was a lot of irritated shouting coming from Piper McLean, who was the captain, and Drew, because...well, it was Drew. 

There were cheers that erupted from the team after the cheerleaders finished their first squad. There was Jason and Beckendorf, cheering for their girlfriends, and Matt and Luke in their lewd practices. 

Percy found himself more distracted by the basketball court behind the track. The netball team was practising on it. Annabeth was the captain, and her grey eyes narrowed with concentration as she threw the ball to Hazel before bounding to another position where she was open. 

"Hey, Jackson!" Coach Hedge roared. Percy blinked as he was roughly yanked back to reality. "I know the cheerleaders are distracting, but maybe don't have the attention span of a goldfish!" 

Percy flushed a dark red as the rest of his team chuckled and sent him winks. Frank gave him a knowing look, and that was when Percy remembered that Rachel was a cheerleader too.

"Don't make it so obvious," Frank whispered as he jogged past Percy. "You don't want Rachel to know you like her yet, right?" 

Percy didn't even try to correct him and just feigned a nod of understanding. 

His gaze sidled again to Annabeth. Percy wondered if he'd scared her away by telling her so much. He hadn't meant to, but she'd guessed and everything kind of just came out. There was a split-second where Percy's heart clenched painfully as the notion of Annabeth telling someone else about Gabe entered his mind. 

If Gabe knew Percy had told someone, he'd take it out on his mother and- 

Percy swallowed hard as he tried to calm  
himself down before a teammate noticed his distress. Annabeth wouldn't do that, Percy told himself sternly. Get it together.

When Percy got home, he couldn't fake that he was wary of returning to his house. His mother's shoes were missing from the welcome mat, but Gabe's muddy, old sneakers were strewn across it. 

Percy tightened his grip on his school bag and inhaled deeply before pushing the door open and walking in as silently as he could. A creak from the door split the air and made Percy wince. 

Oh no. 

"Boy!" came the familiar worn-out, gravelly shout. "You home?" 

Percy debated sprinting up the stairs and locking his door behind him. Past experience reminded him that that would only make things worse. 

Dropping his bag by the door, Percy clenched a fist. "Yeah," he called through gritted teeth. "Just got back." 

There was the sound of a door slamming against a wall as Gabe staggered out into the open. The odour of alcohol was so pungent that Percy actually had to stop himself from making a face. Percy recognised the blurriness of his eyes and lack of balance; Gabe was drunk. 

He was clutching a half-empty beer bottle in one hand, taking a swig as he stumbled towards Percy. 

"I have homework to do," Percy said quickly. "I'll just go to my room-"

A deafening yell interrupted Percy and made him jump. He regretted that it was fear that rippled down his spine. Percy wanted to back out of the door because he knew exactly what was coming next. A drunk Gabe never ended well. 

"No!" Gabe practically snarled. Percy eyed the bottle warily as he slowly backed up. "I need your money!" 

Percy froze up. Money? His mind raced back over the last few days. He hadn't taken any of Gabe's money. 

"Stupid L-Larry wants his money back," Gabe slurred. "Gimme." 

Percy tried to keep his voice level. "I don't have any money," he stammered. "I gave you the last of it on Wednesday to settle your gambling debts." In truth, Percy had a stash of money skilfully hidden in his room, but it was for his college fund. Not to waste on Gabe and his monetary issues. Percy knew he'd have to keep it to get out of here. 

"Well, it wasn't enough, was it?" Gabe growled, waving the bottle around. The liquid sloshed as if to mock Percy. He was helpless to do anything and except wait for the worst to happen. 

"Maybe if you actually went to work, you'd have enough." Percy regretted the words the moment they left his lips. 

There it was again. That stupid impulse that made him blurt out what he was thinking. Percy wasn't sure if it was the ADHD or just his own impertinence. 

Whatever it was, it never failed to anger Gabe and worsen the situation. 

Percy didn't even have time to prepare himself when Gabe brought the bottle down on his shoulder, the glass smashing against the bone and crumbling into shards that rolled down Percy's body. 

A strangled cry tore from his throat moments before Percy felt his knees hit the ground and the glass to dig further into his shoulder. There were needles of pain everywhere; his shoulder was throbbing, and his mind was muddled from his head hitting the stone floor. 

"...poker game..." Percy caught snippets of Gabe's words. The door opened and he disappeared from sight, leaving Percy on the ground. 

+++++

Black. 

Percy wasn't quite sure how long he'd been like this, but everything was black. 

A splitting headache rang through, and Percy struggled to recall what had happened or how much time had passed. He'd been at football practice...

It ended at 6.30. Or was it 7? Wait, no it had ended late today. 7, then. 

The bus ride home. His mother's shoes missing from the front step. Gabe being drunk. 

The image of the glass bottle breaking against Percy's shoulder washed over his mind. Percy willed himself not to cry; it wouldn't do him any good right now. 

He had to get up and patch himself up. Clear up the glass before his mum got home. 

It took him a while to get up. Percy struggled to roll over into his knees, and even then, he immediately felt like throwing up. Percy raised a hand and numbly placed it on his head. His fingers came away wet and smeared with blood, which made his stomach churn. 

Percy grasped his phone out of his pocket and it clattered as he tossed it onto the floor. He unlocked it and scrolled through his contacts, hesitating as his finger hovered over the screen.


	5. The Phone Call

Street lights were a blur as her feet pounded down the sidewalk. There weren't many people milling around at this time. 

It was 8.13pm when Annabeth had received the phone call. Percy's name had flashed on the screen and she'd picked up in confusion. 

At first, the lack of sound made her think it was a pocket dial. Why would he have reason to call her anyway? They hadn't spoken at all the entire day. 

A few seconds later, there'd been a shuddering gasp, and that's when Annabeth's heart nearly stopped altogether. 

She'd frantically shouted his name, but there hadn't been any answer. "Behind Walter's," had been all Percy managed to say before he'd hung up. 

It was safe to say that Annabeth had raced out of her house without much thought, feeding her parents the lie that she was going out to get coffee and clear her mind about some school work. 

And now as she came up to the small street that cut into the back alleyway behind Walter's, Annabeth pulled her sweater around her more tightly as she warily followed the path. 

Terrifying articles about murder or rape cases in isolated places entered her mind. Annabeth pushed the away, not wanting to scare herself even more. She pulled out her phone torchlight from the back pocket of her jeans and shone it onto the cobblestone ground below her feet. 

"Percy?" Annabeth whispered, her voice echoing between the walls. 

Silence. 

A second later, there was a soft answering groan from the left fork. Annabeth nearly collapsed against the wall in relief as she sprinted towards the sound. She found herself in the alleyway behind Walter's, where they took out the trash every few hours. 

Her phone torchlight wavered as her trembling hand brought it up to shine on the silhouette huddled on the floor. 

Annabeth inhaled sharply, as if someone had sucker-punched her in the gut. 

Oh, Percy. 

There were nasty cuts on his collarbone, and glass shards stuck out of his shoulder in a grotesque fashion. If Annabeth looked closer, she could see the dried blood matted in his brown hair. 

"Sorry," he croaked. 

Annabeth didn't reply. She placed her phone on the ground, the torchlight facing up so she could see what she was doing. Slowly, Annabeth pulled the hem of his t-shirt up and off his torso, careful not to budge any of the glass shards. 

Thankfully, she'd expected something bad - though not nearly as horrible as this - and had tucked her mother's first aid kit into her shoulder bag. 

She wordlessly picked out the small splinters of glass that had somehow found their way into his skin, disposing of them in a plastic bag. There was a nasty purple bruise already flowering across his shoulder, probably from where someone had hit him with a glass object. A bottle or a vase, she guessed. 

"He was drunk," Percy said finally. His voice was small and strained.

A bottle, then. 

Annabeth couldn't even meet his eye. He was hurt; bleeding. At the hands of his own stepfather. And he suffered like this to make sure his mother wouldn't receive the same treatment. 

In that moment, Annabeth very much wanted to hit Gabe with a glass bottle too. 

The cuts continued to Percy's chest, which meant Annabeth had to clean up the wound as well as wrap it in a bandage. The bruise would go away on its own, but the head injury was more worrying. 

Annabeth ran her fingers through his hair and glass shards fell onto the ground. Percy swept them up and into the bag as she examined the small wound on his head. 

"I fell on the floor." 

Annabeth glanced at him for the first time that night. He probably had a concussion; he'd sounded confused on the phone and had likely passed out earlier. 

When it was all done, Annabeth silently handed him his shirt and sat back down opposite him. 

"If you weren't already injured I'd slap you," Annabeth finally said, swallowing hard. 

Percy cracked a half-hearted grin, the colour returning to his face. Annabeth could feel her heart rate start to return back to normal again. A few seconds later and she couldn't feel her blood pulsing any longer. 

"Never do that to me again," she said thickly. 

A crestfallen but understanding expression washed over his features. "I won't," Percy promised quietly. "I'm sorry. It was just, really bad this time. I usually do it myself." 

Annabeth shook her head. "That's not what I mean." She ran a hand through her tangled hair. "At least tell me what happened next time. God, I-I thought you were dying! Or dead, for that matter!" she cried. 

Percy looked taken aback. "But I thought...I thought this was too much trouble for you! I won't do it again-"

"No!" Annabeth whisper-shouted. "Of course, I'll patch you up! What I mean is, don't do this to yourself. Tell the police, tell someone." 

Percy gave her a look that told her he wasn't going to change his mind. 

"You know I can't." His voice was  
barely above a whisper. 

Annabeth crossed her arms. "What if it's worse than this?" she demanded. "What will you do?" 

Percy stared at her. "Get up. That's what I always do." 

Annabeth glared at him furiously. 

"You have my number," she said suddenly. "Use it. The next time something like this happens, you tell me immediately. I don't care if it's even the smallest scratch - you're not-" Annabeth paused to take a shuddering breath. "-You're not doing this alone." 

She pushed herself off the ground and re-balanced on her feet. Percy took her hand and she pulled him up so that they were eye-to-eye. 

"You don't have to do this," he said softly. He was giving her an easy out. Annabeth knew that objectively, that was probably the best option. She wouldn't get involved in this complicated situation. 

But she also couldn't leave someone to go through all this alone. "Yes," Annabeth said breathlessly. "Yes, I do." 

+++++ 

One of the reasons Percy liked Walter was that he he didn't ask too many questions. 

When Percy and Annabeth came in through the staff entrance, he interrogate them. All he did was nod in acknowledgment, thankfully turning a blind eye to the grave expressions they bore. 

"Hey, coffee and a tea, please," Annabeth exhaled as she leaned over the counter. She pulled out a few notes and slid them over. 

Percy swallowed. His head was still spinning like a carousel, and sometimes his thoughts dulled in comparison to the throbbing of his brain. 

He'd called Annabeth. He wasn't quite sure why. But he didn't have anyone else he could turn to at the moment. Even if his last resort was a girl he barely knew. 

Well, not barely. Even though he didn't know her favourite colour or middle name, Percy felt like she knew him better than most people did. 

As they slumped into apposons seats by the window, Percy watched cautiously as Annabeth sipped on her steaming beverage. 

"So," she said finally, after a stretch of deafening silence. "Have you seen the new Star Wars?" 

Percy blinked jarringly. "What?" 

"Star Wars?" Annabeth repeated. 

"That's what you want to talk about?" he said incredulously. 

She rolled her eyes. "It's called 'compartmentalising'." Annabeth frowned. "If you hadn't noticed, I'm not really used to situations like this." 

"Which proves you're helping me because you're actually a much nicer person than some people think." 

Annabeth opened her mouth, then closed it, before scoffing, "Who thinks I'm not nice?" 

Percy fought off a grin. 

"You jerk," she huffed. "It's Hazel, isn't it?" 

"The guys on the football team, actually," he corrected. "Beckendorf is terrified of you. He thinks you could beat him up." 

The corners of her mouth quirked up humorously. "Beckendorf's built like the Rock. But it's nice to know I have his respect." She rested her chin on her hand. "Full disclosure; do you really hate Jason?" 

Wincing at the name, Percy mulled over the things he could and probably shouldn't tell her. "He is my teammate. And he's a good football player. But he can be a real dick." 

"The fight last year?" Annabeth asked. 

"In general," Percy amended. "He has it out for me. I swear he would deck me if he had the chance." 

She flashed him an apologetic look. "You're not wrong," Annabeth admitted. "Jason thinks you're scary." 

Percy nodded contentedly. "Damn right, I'm downright terrifying." 

Her snort of derision made him chuckle. 

"You might have a resting bitch face, Jackson, but you're a dork," Annabeth remarked.

Percy stared at her. "You drink tea." 

"Because I value not stunting my growth," she grumbled. "And caffeine's a crutch for the weak." 

"I can't tell if you're joking or not." 

"I'm joking." Annabeth winked.


	6. Monday Blues

Two weeks had passed since Annabeth befriended Percy Jackson. 

She'd decided that tentative friendship was whatever they were doing. There was a certain ease that came along with his presence, and there was never a dull moment with him. 

Despite the rushed manner of their relationship, Annabeth found herself in the position of confidante whenever she spent time with Percy at the coffee shop. 

Because he didn't run in her circle, Annabeth didn't care about telling him secrets. It wasn't like he could tell anyone. He was like a personal, talking diary. 

They had also evolved from reluctant conversations to secret smirks across the classroom when no one was looking. 

It was painful to ignore him in public, but Annabeth knew it was essential if they were to keep this up. 

Percy's grades picked up; he even got a B in the most recent Maths test. It was a culmination of her efforts and tutoring, but the end result was because of Percy's determination.

As much as she would have never admitted it, Annabeth was proud of him. Percy was smarter than he, or anyone else, realised. 

All of that made what happened on Monday so much worse. 

They'd made it two weeks, but it seemed that that was all the time the universe was allowing. 

Annabeth shoved her sports bag into her locker, struggling to fit her shoes and clothes inside the skinny compartment. Amidst her inward frustration, Annabeth absently noticed how silent her surroundings had become. 

Her gaze flickered left and right to see that the students milling about the corridor had practically fallen silent when she walked in. 

Giving up her fight with her bag, Annabeth stepped back and slammed the door to her locker shut. The loud noise echoed through the hallway, making a few students wince. 

Quit staring, she wanted to retort. Shouldering her backpack, Annabeth turned on her heel and edged her way out of the hallway. 

Red flag number two was the same thing happening in homeroom. 

None of her friends had arrived yet — strange, since Annabeth was usually the least punctual — which left her sitting in a lonely seat amongst stares and whispers. 

Mentally reeling through the events of the last few days, Annabeth wracked her brain for any gossip that might've resulted in this. She couldn't think of anything. 

Last thing she'd heard was some sophomore having herpes. 

A soft 'ding' sounded from someone's phone. 

Their homeroom teacher — Mrs Lorenson — was an elderly, half-deaf woman who could barely hear the bell, much less a phone. 

Annabeth watched surreptitiously as the owner of the mobile phone flicked it open, cast an astonished glance up at her before turning back to his friends. 

Her heart picked up speed, and Annabeth suppressed the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. What was going on? 

Caged in by judgemental stares of her fifteen classmates, Annabeth slumped further into her seat. She swiped her phone open and nervously texted Piper, where are you???

The bell for first period sent relief coursing through her, and Annabeth zipped out of there before anyone could even react. 

Puzzlement coursed through her mind as Annabeth sat down in the Physics classroom. There it was again; everyone giving her weird looks. 

There was a momentary commotion as Leo very dramatically burst into the classroom a few minutes late, his hair wild and eyes wide as he muttered an apology to the teacher. 

As he swept past her desk, Leo sent Annabeth a bewildered glance. He collapsed onto his assigned seat tiredly and swivelled his head to give her a piercing we-need-to-talk look. 

"Today, we will be conducting experiments to investigate rates of reaction," Mr Hurley announced, handing out sheets to the rest of the class. 

Ananbeth's glance sidled to the vacant seat beside her. Her science partner Lana was absent today. 

It didn't make much of a difference. The experiment was one she had done before last year, so it wasn't anything new. Honestly, Annabeth preferred working alone sometimes; no one could slow her down. 

The class gradually found a comfortable work-level bustle as everyone began their experiments. Annabeth made frequent trips between the ingredients cabinet and her table as she was the only one retrieving apparatus. 

Struggling to reach the hydrochloride acid on the higher shelf, Annabeth tip-toed, stretching an arm up. 

"Got it," came a familiar chuckle. 

Annabeth threw a glance over her shoulder and was surprised to see Percy grabbing the vial for her. 

She frowned. "What are you doing here?" Percy wasn't in her Science class. 

Percy shrugged. "A 'thank you' would be nice." He reached out to collect the chemicals for his own experiment. "We ran out of stuff in our classroom, and Hazel beat me in rock-paper-scissors, so I was sent here to get the chemicals." 

"I'm working alone," Annabeth informed him. "So I should probably get back to it if I want to finish." 

"Fine, fine," Percy said in false surrender. "Priorities, right?" 

Annabeth rolled her eyes, stifling a smile as she returned to her desk. She felt her expression collapse into a sombre one again when she caught Leo's eye on the way back. 

When the bell signalled the start of second period, Leo practically sprinted to get to her first. 

"What in the name of hell were you thinking?" Leo demanded. 

Furrowing her eyebrows, Annabeth kept one eye on the classroom names and one on Leo. She turned to him exasperatedly. "What are you talking about? You've been giving me weird looks all class." 

Leo seemed to stop in his mental tracks. "You don't know," he realised. 

Annabeth frowned. "Don't know what?" 

Their conversation came to an abrupt end as they stepped into the Physics classroom. Leo beckoned her over to an empty desk. 

There were about twenty minutes of monotonous drone from Dr Pearson before she gave them a worksheet to do. 

Annabeth pulled out her pen and started scribbling her name down, knowing that Leo would take this chance to continue their conversation. 

"You haven't seen it, have you?" Leo whispered warily as they both set their bags down. 

"Okay, you're seriously scaring me now," Annabeth hissed with a glare. "Would you stop being mysterious and tell me what you're talking about?" 

Leo's eyes flickered to the teacher, who was glued to her screen. 

Keeping his low tone, Leo said, "Beckendorf sent me a picture this morning; said he got it from one of the guys from the football team." He swallowed. "I heard somewhere that Drew started it." 

As his phone flashed under the ceiling light, Annabeth squinted to make out the image he was showing her. 

Her heart practically stopped altogether. 

It was Percy and her at Walter's, sitting together in their usual booth. Her lips were frozen in a laugh as Percy made a face. 

"Oh my God!" Annabeth choked. 

The picture was taken from the street, probably someone who'd walked by and seen them together. 

Leo's words echoed through her head like a tornado of muddled thoughts. 

What in the name of hell were you thinking? 

I heard somewhere that Drew started it. 

I got it from Beckendorf. 

Her hands remained clasped over her mouth as Annabeth tried her hardest not to explode into a flurry of panic. 

"I didn't want to believe it," Leo whispered. "But then I saw you two in Chemistry — and then everyone's saying that you're dating — Annabeth, he's bad news!" 

The room spun around Annabeth as the painful lump at the back of her throat expanded.

No, no, she mouthed silently. 

Everyone knew. There was a picture. It had probably gone round the entire school by now. What would Jason and Piper say? 

Her stomach turned sickeningly. 

"No," she muttered under her breath. "This isn't happening." 

Her hands slid down to the table to reveal a hysterical expression. 

"Have you forgotten what happened last year?" Leo reminded her warily. "You punched him. He punched Jason. Don't tell me you've fallen for his 'charm'." 

Annabeth twirled her hands into her hair and pulled frustratedly. "Shut up, Leo." 

As he fell silent, she sighed painfully, covering her face once again with her hands. What was she going to do? Percy clearly hadn't seen it either — he would've mentioned something to her in Chemistry. 

Everyone thought they were dating. All their friends knew now. The worst had happened. 

She needed to think, and Leo was like a droning white noise machine. 

"We're not dating," Annabeth's voice came out muffled behind her palms. She removed them and rested them on the table, biting her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. "I-It was a one-time thing. I was helping him with homework." 

The evident relief that washed over Leo's face only made Annabeth sink further into her seat. Surely if her best friends thought so poorly of Percy, it was a bad sign? 

"For a second there I thought you'd gone insane," Leo murmured. "Good to know you've still got your wits." 

"That doesn't matter," Annabeth groaned inwardly. "If you've seen this, then everyone else has too." She ducked down, hiding behind a curtain of her curls. "I can't look anyone in the eye," she hissed through gritted teeth. That had to be why she'd been getting so many strange looks in the morning. 

Now that she knew the reason behind the piercing stares, the circling hushed whispers became a lot more noticeable than before. 

They didn't say much to each other for the rest of the class. Leo could sense her thunderous mood enough to keep his mouth shut. 

Annabeth needed to talk to Percy. They had to sort this out before the situation got any worse — if it even could. 

"How can I even face anyone?" Annabeth whispered miserably as the bell rang. Other students started packing their things up. "They probably all think I'm another one of Percy's trophies." 

Leo frowned. "Well, screw them. Come on, I'll walk you to History." 

Annabeth gave him a smile. "It's fine," she sighed. She needed some time to think anyway. "I'll see Piper there. Thanks anyway." 

Despite her assurances, Leo was still reluctant when he turned the bend and left her alone in the corridor. Almost immediately, Annabeth felt regret creeping up on her. The stares were much more penetrative without Leo there to buffer them or distract her. 

Keeping her head down, Annabeth shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat as she hurried towards her next class. 

Tck, tck, tck. 

The sound of familiar boots clicking along the ceramic tiles made her wince. Not long after did an Asian brunette fall into step beside her. 

"Annabeth, haven't seen you in a while," Drew Tanaka drawled, the corner of her mouth twitching. 

Clenching her fists, Annabeth forced herself to stifle down a retort. Drew was the most two-faced person out there. Annabeth didn't like to judge from rumours, but she'd had more than enough personal experiences with Drew to know that she was nothing but trouble. And that meant that she was only here to wind her up. 

"So you're going for Percy, huh?" Drew noted. Her long black hair was in a messy bun today, and her natural make-up was done flawlessly to accentuate her charcoal eyes. No matter how horrible she was, Annabeth often found herself envious of Drew's easy way with guys. She always knew just how to flirt. "I never took him for your type." 

Two more corridors, Annabeth repeated in a mantra. 

"I mean, it's not my place to judge if you're hooking up with him," Drew chuckled. "But, you should probably remember; I was there first." She paused in her tracks, clearly expecting Annabeth to stop as well. 

Obliging, Annabeth scowled at her. "What do you want, Drew?" 

"Nothing from you," Drew said dismissively. "Sure, he'll toy with you for a few weeks. But just know that he always comes running back to me." Flashing a pearly white smile, Drew turned on her heel and disappeared into the History classroom. 

Annabeth released the breath she was holding with a shudder. Drew was a nightmare. And the issue was that no one ever saw that she was. She was clever in that way — never being rude to her in front of anyone else, never bullying people obviously enough to be punished for it. 

Piper was in the class with her, and Annabeth absolutely dreaded facing her. The bombardment of questions to come made her want to flee the school and snuggle into bed. Nothing could disturb her within the confines of her bedroom. 

Unfortunately, she was a good student. Annabeth inhaled deeply before stepping into the classroom. 

Gazes and torsos swivelled to rake over her. Everyone's thoughts were practically screaming at her. Drew's posture was a tell-tale sign of her triumph, and her smirk was poised at the ready. 

Slut. 

Another conquest. 

Annabeth shuffled over to her normal seat, feeling tears prickling at the back of her eyes. 

Piper was there too, fiddling with her braids as she watched Annabeth like a hawk. Preparing herself for the onslaught of disapproval, Annabeth winced. 

"Are you okay?" came her whisper. 

Surprise glinted in her eyes. "Been better," Annabeth mumbled. 

Piper's concerned look cast a shadow on her. "I've heard some things," she hesitated. "But I wanted to hear the truth from you." 

Annabeth stared helplessly at her. "It's complicated," she said finally. 

"Are you dating?" Piper inquired. 

Shaking her head, Annabeth relayed the most basic details; it was a once-off, they weren't dating and definitely weren't sleeping together. It felt like a practised speech she'd have to get used to soon.

"Percy Jackson is..." Piper's eyebrows furrowed. "He's not good, Annabeth. I mean, look, you're so perfect and so great, and he's just—" 

"I got that," Annabeth snapped. She instantly felt bad, spotting the crestfallen look on Piper's face. "Sorry," she murmured. "I'm having a hard time. Everyone's saying things and..." She trailed off. 

"The only person I'm believing is you," Piper told her firmly. "But you know that hanging around Jackson isn't a smart choice, Annabeth." 

"I know, I know," Annabeth said impatiently. "Leo gave me the lecture." She paused, debating whether to argue about this. 

Percy wasn't who they thought he was. But it was pointless to even try to change her friends' minds, seeing as this was probably it for them. 

The thought of breaking it off with Percy made Annabeth sink further into a state of misery. Two weeks wasn't a lot, but over time, he'd become an unexpectedly good part of her day that she looked forward to. 

"Jason's gonna kill me," Annabeth realised warily. "He's actually going to kill me." 

Piper winced. "I'd say Percy's in more danger at the moment. Jason was furious this morning after Beckendorf showed the picture to us. He thinks Percy somehow tricked you into dating him." 

Annabeth wrinkled her nose. "What?" She shook her head. "Forget it. Jason's too easily provoked. Remember the last fight we got into with Percy?" 

+++++

The sight of the cafeteria made Annabeth's desire to hightail it out of there more prominent. 

Rumours had spread like wildfire, and the tale twisted a little more with every person it crossed. So far, the most common assumption was that they were sleeping together. Somehow, Percy rose even higher on his throne, while Annabeth came out of this looking like a bitch.

She hated it. No one had ever said anything about her to this level. The entire school seemed to hate her, judge her, or make fun all at the same time, when she hadn't done anything. 

"Tell me when it's over," Annabeth muttered as she stabbed a fry. Piper and Leo were congregated on their table in the positions of bodyguards, eyeing anyone who came near. 

That didn't stop them from chatting away about Annabeth and Percy on their own tables. 

Then the dreaded moment arrived when Jason slid into the bench across from Annabeth. 

"What in the name of—"

"Let me stop you write there," Annabeth interrupted. She set down her utensils and glared at him. "I'm already having a terrible day, so you have one minute to get it out, and then you're not allowed to say anything about it anymore." 

Jason took a deep breath. 

"Have you gone crazy?" he demanded incredulously. "Annabeth, this is Percy Jackson we're talking about. The jerk who beat Leo up? Sleeps around with the entire population? Hates our guts?" 

"Time's up," Leo said weakly. 

Annabeth suppressed the urge to shout back at Jason. She couldn't afford to fight with her friends right now; she had too many other issues at hand. 

"I'm not dating Percy," she told him. "He needed help with his homework and I felt bad. Believe me, it was as awkward as it gets." 

"Didn't look awkward in the picture," Jason muttered. 

"Well, it's misleading," Annabeth said snarkily. "You know, it's a little hypocritical of you to call someone else a jerk at the moment — so why don't you look at yourself and reflect?" 

She stood up and pulled her tray up to her chest, stalking angrily away from the table.

+++++

Footsteps crunched in the soil as Jason sidled up to the tree. Annabeth refused to even acknowledge his presence, her eyes glued to the book open in her lap. 

Another crunch as Jason sat down next to her. 

Jason fiddled with the hem of his t-shirt. "I'm sorry. You were right. That was stupid of me." He exhaled slowly. "I shouldn't have said it." 

Annabeth shut her book with a soft thud. "I get that," she sighed. "I know that he's bad, and I know that you don't like it. But it was one time. And it's not like I meant for you guys to find out." 

"That's the thing," Jason pointed out. "I don't want you to feel like you need to hide things from us." He shuffled uncomfortably. "I just don't want you to get hurt. Percy's horrible, and I think it's a bad decision—"

"I'm not dating him," Annabeth interjected. "We're not even close to that." 

Jason shrugged. "Whatever's going on with him, I was a crappy friend." 

"You were," Annabeth told him, earning a chuckle. "And I can't lose any of you right now." She kneaded one hand into the other uncertainly. "It's crazy how quickly everyone can turn on you. I need my friends right now." 

Jason wrapped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her in for a side-hug. She felt him murmur against her hair, "It'll be okay."


	7. Rumours

Percy started off Monday morning as well as anyone could. He redid the bandages Annabeth had done for him on his arm, deciding to pass it off as a cooking injury. 

"Maybe a burn," Annabeth suggested. They were going over possible cover stories. 

Percy frowned. "Isn't that kind of a stupid injury? Who gets hurt while cooking?" 

"You," Annabeth told him pointedly. "Just say you were be dumb enough to forget the pan was on." A playful twinkle danced in her eyes. "I'm sure people won't have trouble believing that."

Considering they had a double period of science first thing, Percy wasn't sure he'd make it to History, but he did. He even saw Annabeth briefly in Chemistry, and it brightened his mood for the rest of the day. 

Or so he thought it would. 

Things started to go downhill — or pitch straight off a cliff — in History. Frank forwarded him a message Travis Stoll has sent him; it was a picture of him and Annabeth having coffee at Walter's on Saturday. 

Apparently it had circulated around the entire school in the short few hours they'd been in school. 

Percy spent the morning receiving strange looks and drowning out excited whispers. Everyone thought that Annabeth was his new girlfriend — and latest trophy. 

At lunchtime, Percy found his eyes roving the hall for Annabeth's ponytail, but she was nowhere to be seen. He spotted Jason and Piper arguing on a table, but Annabeth had vanished into thin air. 

"Looking for your girlfriend?" Hazel said sullenly as she and Frank joined him. 

Percy felt his cheek tinge red with embarrassment. "She's not my girlfriend." 

"She's not," Frank assured Hazel. Percy had explained the situation to him, minus the parts about Gabe. 

"Is hanging out with her such a good idea?" Hazel asked doubtfully. "She and her friends don't like us." 

"Especially Valdez," Frank grumbled, pulling a face. 

"What, because we had one fight?" Percy reminded them. "Annabeth's actually not as bad as you think she is." 

In fact, she was a lot better than that. Annabeth was probably one of the few genuinely great people he'd ever met. She was funny, smart, and made him feel normal in a way no one other than Hazel and Frank did. 

"Need I remind you that she punched you?" Frank told him. 

"I deserved it," Percy admitted. "I did beat the crap out of her friend." 

"Which brings me to my next point," Frank added. "Annabeth and her friends have always hated us. How do you know this isn't just a ploy to get your attention and catch you off guard?" 

Percy stared at him in disbelief. "You're joking, right? That sounds extremely dramatic." 

"She can't be trusted," Hazel insisted. 

Percy pursed his lips. Hazel was generally a good judge of character. Maybe his friends were right. 

"Have you spoken to her yet?" Frank asked. 

Shaking his head, Percy said, "Not since either of us found out." He sighed. "I need to soon. The rumours are getting out of hand. It can't be going great for her." 

Hazel studied his face carefully. "I know that you're friends with her, but it's a bad idea, Percy. You barely know her. Everything we know about her rings alarm bells." 

Percy wanted to protest. They only knew Annabeth from the fight, and nothing else. If they could break their rivalry within two weeks, couldn't the same happen between their friends? 

Frank leaned down, muttering in a low tone, "The she-devil's here for you, Perce." 

Casting a glance over his shoulder, Percy saw Drew beckoning him toward the path leading to the garden outside. 

"What does she want?" Percy muttered as he got up, discreetly hurrying to her side. 

"Hey," Drew greeted casually, starting down the path away from the cafeteria. 

Percy gave her a sideways glance. Drew was a nice person, and they'd had a few nights together, but nothing more. He didn't feel that way about her. 

"I'm guessing this is about the picture," Percy said warily. 

Drew shrugged. "A little. I always feel like we haven't talked much lately." 

Percy nodded slowly. "Right. How're your parents?" Drew's parents had been going through a divorce the last time they'd spoken. 

"Not that great," Drew confessed. A flicker of emotion passed across her face before disappearing. "But that's not what I wanted to talk about." She turned to him. "I heard we have English in the library today." 

The library just reminded Percy of how he'd met Annabeth in the first place, which forced him to push her out of his mind again. 

Percy nodded slowly. "Right. I'll see you then, I guess?" 

"I like you, Percy," Drew admitted. "Not just because of the sex, but you're actually one of the better people in this crap school." She caught his gaze and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know, you don't want to date me. That's okay. I just..." She paused. "Thought it was something I should get off my chest." 

Percy watched as she walked away, sending him a farewell smile before she disappeared back into the school building. 

Drew Tanaka was one hell of a puzzle. 

+++++

"Sorry, I'm late, sir," Percy rushed as he burst through the doors. 

Mr Brown raised an eyebrow, but gestured for him to take a seat. 

As he surveyed the classroom, Percy caught Annabeth's eye. Grey against green. 

He almost went into cardiac arrest at the sight of her; he'd gone the entire day listening to rumours about them but never actually seeing her. 

She was in worse shape than he'd initially expected. Her stormy eyes were suspiciously ringed-red, and her jaw tensed unconsciously. 

Percy's gaze landed on Hazel, who was sending him a warning look from her seat next to Jason at the back of the classroom. It was safe to say that Jason had mastered the death glare. 

Sliding into his seat in front of Annabeth, Percy pulled out his exercise book and pencil case, his stomach churning as he felt the looks from other students piercing into the back of his head. 

"We'll be marking the homework from last lesson," Mr Brown declared. "Swap with a partner. The answers are on the board." 

Percy looked down at the algebraic functions on the page. He'd done this with Annabeth last week. He knew they were all right because she'd even checked them against her own answers. 

As he made a split-second decision, Percy turned around with his book in hand. 

"Swap?" Percy offered, trying his best to read Annabeth's expression. 

Her eyes fractionally widened in surprise, but she regained her composure, handing her book to him in a swift exchange. Percy ignored the curious looks from his desk mate. 

As Percy returned to face the front, writing on the page caught his eye. It was done in different-coloured ink from the rest of the work. 

We need to talk. 

Percy suppressed the urge to turn around and speak to her. Instead, he scribbled down a quick message below the sentence. 

Walter's at 5. 

After meticulously marking her homework, Percy passed the book back, giving her a knowing look that conveyed that he had seen her note. 

Percy could hardly concentrate the entire class. Firstly, Annabeth sitting right behind him ment that he could hear whenever she spoke to someone. Secondly, every time he reached down to get something out of his bag, Percy caught a glimpse of her face, and that in itself kept him from paying attention for the remaining half an hour. 

The bell rang after an eternity, releasing them to the library. Percy quickened the pace of his steps to a jog to catch up to Annabeth, who was racing out of the classroom as soon as they were let out. 

"Are you alright?" Percy whispered as he fell into step beside her. Neither of them looked at each other, only speaking out of the corners of their mouths. 

"No," Annabeth said in a low voice. "It's like people have nothing else to do with their lives except gossip." 

"That's partially true." 

"And Drew's giving me a headache," Annabeth whispered back. "As a generally level-headed person, I'm finding myself extremely off-balance today." 

Confusion filled his mind. "Drew? Why?" 

Annabeth scoffed. "You're completely blind," she muttered as she shoved the glass doors to the library open. 

Percy stood there, bewildered, as Annabeth detoured away from him and disappeared behind one of the library's shelves. His gaze caught on the 'Sapiens' book on display at the front, and the corner of his mouth quirked up humorously. 

"I thought we decided that Annabeth Chase wasn't great for you," Hazel said worriedly as she and Percy walked over to one of the plushy arm chairs. She pulled a face. "I sound like a bitch right now, but it's just because I don't want you or Frank to get hurt. Jason really got you guys good last time." 

"Won't happen again," Percy promised. "Annabeth and I have a healthy friendship, Hazel. Nothing bad comes of it." 

Hazel frowned. "Really? Then you haven't heard some of the rumours flying around today." 

His eyes flickered up to scrutinise her. "What?" 

"I'm just saying, if it's healthy, then Annabeth wouldn't have to endure some of the things people are saying about her," Hazel said quietly. 

Percy glanced to the right, refocusing on the conversations of others. 

"I can't believe she would do that. Everyone knows he's still hung up on Reyna. What a slut to sleep with someone for no reason." 

"She's just another girl to add to his list. I doubt it even meant anything to him."

Percy gulped. Hazel was right. Even if he hadn't meant for this to happen, it was essentially his fault. 

He felt anger churn as he tried to drown out the taunts and comments other people made. Percy desperately wanted to defend Annabeth, but he knew it would only make things worse. 

"Who sent that picture around in the first place?" Percy said with a frown. 

Hazel hesitated. "Not sure, but people are saying it was Drew." 

Percy clenched his fist. Drew? No, she wouldn't do something like that. Then he recalled something Annabeth had said about Drew giving her a headache. 

"I do not have the energy to deal with any of this," Percy said exasperatedly, leaving his bag as he left to find a book. They were meant to find one of the titles on the reading list to do a book report on, due the following week. The school did things like this about once a month to encourage them to read — which was definitely working. 

As he shuffled along the aisle, Percy's eyes scanned the shelves for 'Life of Pi'. It didn't seem like anyone else had chosen the same book, because he was alone in this corner.

Pinching the binding of the book, Percy gently pulled it out, staring at the cover page. The tiger and the boat didn't look that interesting, but it was certainly better than reading an old classic like 'Pride and Prejudice'. He smiled faintly when he spotted 'Sapiens' on the reading list. Annabeth had probably already read all the books they were offered as choices. 

Glancing up at the sound of someone approaching, Percy felt his stomach turn uneasily when Drew appeared in front of him. 

"Hey," he said quietly. 

Drew flashed him a smile in reply. 

Deciding that he couldn't exactly fake it, Percy set the book down on the desk and turned to her. "Did you send that picture around?" he blurted out. 

Her astonished expression nearly made Percy regret it. It was that impertinent part of his brain again that was just determined to piss everyone off. 

Eyeing him cautiously, Drew pretended to search the shelves for a book. "How'd you find out?" 

His eyes narrowed. "So you did start it." His voice grew colder than he thought possible. 

Drew's features altered into sadness. "I'm sorry," she pleaded apologetically. "I just thought it would be enough to get between you." 

"So you could make your move?" Percy demanded. "I already told you that I don't like you in that way." 

"No, because Annabeth Chase is bad for you," Drew hissed. "Your two best friends and I all tell you the same thing; how long will it take before you believe us?" She leaned against the table, giving him a pointed look. "How can it ever work out? Your friends hate each other. The entire school is against the two of you. Percy, sometimes things just aren't meant to be." 

Percy shook his head. "This isn't any of your business, Drew." 

"Maybe," she said. "But my business is that you believe you have to truly have feelings for someone to be with them." Drew shrugged. "Doesn't always have to be that way." 

Trying to leave, Percy found Drew blocking his way out, a tanned leg outstretched. "You know I'm not like that," he said lowly. "I don't just sleep with girls for the sake of it." 

"Because you don't want to hurt them," Drew breathed. "I'm telling you right now that I don't care. All I want is you." 

In a move bolder than most, Drew leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Percy felt his eyes widen in alarm the moment she made contact, his mind blurred and frozen. 

A sharp gasp broke through the mental haze and forced him to pull away. 

Percy's heart clenched when he saw Annabeth standing behind Drew, eyes filled with shock. 

"S-Sorry," she stammered, backing away from them before she stumbled away. 

Percy wanted to kick himself. 

Drew was the reason Annabeth was the centre of everyone's gossip. And she just found her friend kissing her. 

"I'm a terrible person," Percy groaned inwardly. 

Drew was still staring at him expectantly. 

"That shouldn't have happened," he told her shortly. "And leave Annabeth alone." Percy grabbed his book on the way, jogging out of the aisle.


	8. Because I’m Your Friend

Annabeth typed away at her phone, occasionally pulling up the picture of Percy and herself. Drew had sent it to her after school without any other caption, and it had visibly rattled her. 

What did Drew want? Percy? Technically, didn't she already have him? 

Annabeth gritted her teeth. She hated that it had come to this. Usually, she was t affected by nonsense other people spewed, but when it was the tongue school, it was more difficult to ignore it. 

The chimes above the front door of Walter's clanged, and Annabeth half-heartedly raised her head — as she had done every other time someone entered. 

To her surprise, it was Percy. His dark hair fell over his tired eyes, and he absently brushed them out of his face. The swim hoodie he wore gave away the activities he'd done prior to this. 

"I, first, want to apologise for the incident in the library," Percy blurted out as he neared her. 

His anxious look made her stifle a smile. "Percy, it's fine—"

"No," he said firmly. "No, it's not. I know she was the one who spread the picture." He frowned. "I just can't believe she would do that." 

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "I do." 

Percy chuckled. He slid into the seat opposite her. "Well, she kissed me — not the other way round." 

Leaning forward, Annabeth sighed. "Percy, contrary to popular belief, we're not actually dating. You don't need to apologise for kissing someone else, and I definitely don't want to hear about it when you're screwing other girls." 

Percy's frost-bitten cheeks went even redder than they already were. "I don't do that," he protested. "What Drew and I did was a one-time thing — and I can say that I greatly regret it. I just happen to have had a lot of girlfriends." 

"I was kidding," Annabeth reassured him. "You're a seaweed brain, Percy, you're too nice to do anything like that." 

"Good," Percy said, relief glinting one his eyes. "Because I might not care about rumours, but you're one of the few people whose opinions I care about." 

"Honoured," Annabeth feigned clutching her heart. Her features rearranged themselves into a worried expression. "Getting back on course, what are we going to do about the rumours?" 

As Percy studied her expression, Annabeth tried to suppress how affected she really was by the situation. She'd never been the subject of nasty rumours like this. 

"What exactly are they?" he inquired. 

Annabeth looked down. 

"Us dating," Percy guessed. "Us sleeping together." 

"Drew says I'm just another one of your conquests," Annabeth interrupted. 

Percy opened his mouth before closing it again without saying a word. 

"You don't have to believe me," Annabeth said tiredly. "I'm not trying to stir up drama with her. But it's what she said." 

Percy swallowed. "This is a whole other side of her I've never seen before. I don't get it." 

Annabeth bit her lip. "Drew's complicated. But it doesn't really matter what she does at the moment because it's already out of her hands." 

"If the thing fuelling the rumours is us together, maybe we should just stop," Percy admitted. 

Annabeth recoiled. Was Percy embarrassed of her? Was he too worried about what his friends thought? 

She hated that Drew had gotten into her head, but the other girl triumphed even when she was absent. Maybe Annabeth was just another of Percy's conquests, and now that it was over, he was done with her. 

"I mean, people kind of expected us to be enemies," Percy said awkwardly. "And when they see us in public together..." 

Feeling hotness rush to her face, Annabeth stood up abruptly. The sound of her chair scraping against the floor made Percy wince. 

"If that was your problem — being seen with me — then that's easy to solve," she said shortly. 

Annabeth burst through the doors, wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to stop shivering. Her teeth were gritted together as her heart hammered against her chest. 

Maybe it wasn't anything to you, but I went against everyone else I cared about to help you, she wanted to scream. 

Annabeth felt like punching a tree. Or Percy.

"Annabeth, wait!" 

Fingers brushed against her own, sending a tingling sense of an electric shock racing along her arm. Annabeth spun around to see Percy's frantic face. 

Ripping her hand out of his, Annabeth scowled. "Percy, it's fine. If you want to be done, then we're done." 

"But I don't want to be," he pleaded. Percy ran a hand through his hair nervously. "You're my friend. And a good one. But if you're suffering because of that—"

"I don't care about what other people gossip about," Annabeth interjected. She paused for a moment to calm her breathing. "Percy, I'm not just going to abandon you because my friends aren't 'happy with me'." 

His green eyes spoke measures more than words could. "Thanks," he said finally, with difficulty. "Not many people would do what you do. And," he shook his head. "You've already done so much for me." 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Of course, Percy. I'm your friend," she said, like it was the easiest thing in the world. And it was easy. There was no question to it now. She'd questioned for weeks about what the hell they were, and now she knew. 

A moment of tense silence was followed by both of them surging forward at the same time into a hug. 

Annabeth felt a part of her disappointed when she stepped away from Percy and the embrace. 

The concept wasn't that difficult to grasp. 

Friends. 

It still felt weird to call Percy Jackson her friend. 

Percy grinned. "Do you have some time or do you have to head home now?" 

Annabeth searched his features for telltale signs of what he had in mind. "Depends," she said cautiously. 

As it turned out, Percy's idea was pretty much a repeat of the first time they hung out. Ice cream at the park as usual, just updating each other on their lives. 

"So this guy comes up to you, a complete stranger, and you agree to go out with him?" Percy repeated incredulously. 

"When you put it like that, it sounds dumb." 

"You're so lucky I'm not a serial killer," Percy said seriously. "You'd be the easiest target in the world." 

Annabeth snorted. "Yeah, right. You would be the worst serial killer." 

"I take that as a compliment," Percy noted. 

Annabeth glanced down at her phone, which had started this conversation in the first place. Brady had finally decided to text her — about two weeks late. 

Hey, sorry that it took me so long, but I've been too caught up in school to do much else. How are you? 

She was debating how to answer him, and since Percy was currently available, she was, for some reason, obtaining love advice from him. 

"I probably shouldn't be taking tips from you anyway," she said accusatorially. 

Percy's mouth dropped open. "Excuse me? I have dated five times as many people as you." 

"That's because I've only dated one person! And it was for, like, three months!"

Percy snickered. "I remember that. Beckendorf, right?" 

"Yeah, before I realised that he was too much of a friend to be my boyfriend." Annabeth shrugged. "I mean, he's probably he only guy I've really dated." 

Percy frowned. "That can't be right. I know for a fact that Travis Stoll asked you out in freshman year, but you turned him down. And last year, Chris asked you to the dance, but you said 'no' to him too." 

Annabeth blushed so dark she resembled a tomato. "Oh my God," she groaned. "I forgot about that." Annabeth gave him a sheepish look. "No one knew, but I had a massive crush on Luke Castellan for the longest time." 

Percy's eyes widened. "What?" he cried. 

"I don't know!" 

"He's a dick!" Percy complained. "Actually, he's not so bad alone, but he's kind of bland, isn't he?" 

Annabeth shrugged. "I honestly don't know why. Our parents are pretty good friends, so he used to come over for dinner all the time." 

"I am so sorry," Percy said with utter sombreness. "Those dinners must have bored you to death." 

"Hey," she protested. "He's not that bad, okay? I swear, he's more fun if you get to know him." 

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Because being able to talk only about football is just extremely interesting." 

+++++

"If this is an intervention, you're not doing a very good job," Annabeth pointed out as Piper set the box of Hawaiian pizza on the coffee table. Helping herself to a slice, Annabeth leaned back on to Piper's expensive couch. "Food won't encourage me to do anything." 

"It's not an intervention," Piper insisted. "We barely know anything about you and Percy, so we aren't exactly sure what we'd be intervening." 

Jason and Leo looked at her expectantly, the latter lounging on the floor next to Piper. 

Annabeth recalled her chat with Percy the previous day; they'd established that they were friends. She was still up for helping him with homework and study, but everything else about them had changed. 

"We're friends," she admitted. "It started two weeks ago — when I found him in the library in the afternoon. I saw him studying and trying to do homework, and I offered to help." 

Jason stared at her like she was insane. "But why?" 

"Because she's a nice person," Piper answered first Annabeth. "Come on, Jason, let her finish." She shut her boyfriend up with a fierce look. 

"So," Annabeth continued. "We've been doing that since then. And he's actually a really nice person." 

"Doubtful," Jason muttered under his breath. 

"He is," Annabeth insisted. "A real dork, and he can be really stupid sometimes, but Percy's not at all what I thought he'd be like." 

Leo wrinkled his nose. "So you aren't dating, right?" 

Annabeth scoffed, "Funny." 

"I heard that he likes Rachel Dare," Piper said helpfully. 

"I sit next to her in English," Annabeth realised with a start. Percy had never mentioned her before. Then again, it wasn't one of their usual topics of discussion. 

"I'm still not sure about this, Annabeth," Jason said warily. "Obviously it's not like I can change your mind, but you should be careful around him." 

"I know everything seems like it's against us right now, but he really is my friend." Annabeth averted her gaze. "I'd really appreciate it if you guys could at least try to tolerate him." 

She watched uncertainly as her three friends exchanged secretive looks. 

"Of course, we will," Leo assured her. "Anything for you, Annabeth." 

They spent the next hour at Piper's house hanging out like they always did. Since Piper's father was an actor, he was always travelling for work, leaving the house empty to her. 

Leo had suggested holding parties, but Piper wasn't too keen on cleaning up after. 

It was always Piper's idea to break into her dad's alcohol cabinet. They usually did this every month or so, since Tristan was cool with them doing whatever they wanted, and he collected some of the best spirits. 

This time, when Piper suggested the same, Annabeth shot it down so quickly she even surprised herself. 

She quickly realised that the image of Percy, bleeding in an alleyway, was the first thing that slid into her mind when Piper had mentioned drinking. 

"So what's the most unexpected thing about Percy?" Piper asked curiously. 

Annabeth paused for a thoughtful moment. "I think I'd have to say that he's a really good son." 

"What?" Leo said in disbelief. "The guy who beat me up is respectful to his mum?" 

"One-time thing, remember?" Annabeth protested. "And, hey, you guys promised you'd try to be civil." 

Jason rolled his eyes. "Why did I promise?" he wondered aloud. 

Annabeth's phone buzzed on the table, the vibrations clattering against the glass top. 

Leo slid her smirk. "Speak of the devil." 

The words 'Seaweed Brain' were displayed on her screen with a picture of him glaring at a math equation showing up. 

Raised eyebrows and not-so-discreet coughs alerted her to the skepticism her friends experienced. Annabeth fought off a blush as she swiftly nicked her phone. 

"You sure you aren't dating?" Leo called after her.


	9. Loan Sharks

"Hey," Annabeth murmured into her phone as she quickly made her way out of the living room. 

Percy's voice responded almost instantly. "Hello." 

"What's up?" 

"Uh," he said uncertainly. "This is kind of a heads-up phone call." 

Annabeth felt her limbs stiffen. 

Over the last few weeks, they'd come up with an efficient system of dealing with Percy's injuries. Due to her insistence, Percy now gave her a call almost immediately after Gabe beat him, or if he knew it was coming, a "heads-up call" before that. 

"Oh God," she sighed nervously. "What happened this time?" 

Percy was silent for a moment, which only made the shivers down her spine much more prominent. 

"Percy," Annabeth demanded more decisively. "What is it?" 

There came a shaky exhale over the phone. "Gabe borrowed money from a guy a while ago, and he's late to pay him back. He's sending me to tell him." 

The blood rushed from her face. "What?" Annabeth gasped. "Percy, are you out of your mind?" She clenched a fist so hard her knuckles turned white. "These are loan sharks. They're gonna kill you!" 

"It's not like I have a choice, Annabeth!" he replied helplessly. 

Another pause. 

"Truthfully, I'm a little scared," Percy confessed. 

Annabeth felt her heart clench for the boy who had to suffer because he didn't have another choice. 

"Percy, you can't do this," she warned. "Get the police — someone!" Annabeth cried. "They'll kill you!" 

A click reverberated in her brain, signalling that Percy had hung up. 

Her hands trembled as Annabeth collapsed against the kitchen counter, her mind racing at a mile a minute. 

"I-I have to go," Annabeth stammered as she ran out to the living room, grabbing her bag. 

Jason reaches out and steadied her. "What—" His expression altered into one of concern when he saw her face. "Annabeth, you look like you've seen a ghost." 

She ran a hand through her hair, tugging helplessly. "I can't—I have to go." 

"What happened?" Piper asked worriedly. "Annabeth, what's going on? You're scaring us." 

"Percy's in trouble," Annabeth blurted out. She groaned frustratedly. "He's such an idiot, and he's gonna get himself killed." 

Jason paled. Annabeth gave him a grim look to confirm that she wasn't joking. 

"What did he do?" Jason demanded. "Annabeth, I told you he was trouble!" 

"It's not his fault!" Annabeth yelled. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth sink into the couch with her head in her hands. She couldn't tell them. She wanted to explain so badly, but it wasn't her secret to tell. 

"He's being..." she trailed off. "Blackmailed," Annabeth finished vaguely. "If he doesn't do what they want, they'll hurt someone he cares about." She glanced up warily. "I can't explain everything right now. But please, please trust me on this." 

The other three exchanged doubtful looks, but there was a silent agreement amongst them — Annabeth was telling the truth. Annabeth wasn't sure if she'd ever been this horrified about something. It was a lot worse than a bad grade or rumours around the school. 

"Okay, so what does he have to do?" Leo inquired slowly. 

Annabeth clasped her hands together agitatedly. "The person can't pay these loan sharks back in time. He's sending Percy to tell them."

Jason's gaze darkened with worry. "That's bad," he warned. "My mum used to be mixed up in things like that. They never let her leave without paying some sort of a price." 

"I have to help him," Annabeth decided. "Or at least try to talk him out of it." 

"He's not going to change his mind," Piper shook her head. "Not if this person is really important to him." 

Annabeth thought of Sally Jackson, and the way Percy spoke about her. "She is." She groaned. "Okay, this is wasting time. I need to go. Now." 

"No way in hell are you going alone," Jason declared firmly. "I'm not open to argument on this." 

"You'll get hurt," Annabeth told him. "Stay here. You don't even care about him." 

"But I care about you," Jason corrected. "By default, I stand with him too. If the lone sharks see more of us, they won't be as likely to try anything dodgy." 

Piper frowned. "How would we even know where Percy is?" 

Leo waved his phone up. "Snapmaps." 

Annabeth made a humorous noise at the back of her throat. "You absolute genius." She turned to Jason. "You sure about this?" 

"Hey, I'm coming too," Piper protested at the same time Leo complained, "What about me?" 

Jason gripped Piper by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "You need to call Hazel and Frank," he pleaded. "You're the only one they wouldn't hang up on immediately. Get them, and meet us at the place. Don't get involved, Pipes, please, don't get hurt." 

After a few seconds of silent conversation as Annabeth looked on impatiently, Piper nodded begrudgingly. "Fine." She kissed him lightly. "Be safe," Annabeth heard her whisper. 

She angled her gaze down. This was her fault. If anything happened to Jason, it would be her fault. Annabeth resolved to make sure that he would fulfil Piper's wish. 

As they raced to Leo's car, Annabeth pulled up the location on Google Maps, strapping herself into the driver's seat. 

They zipped through the streets like madmen, none daring the break the grave silence that had settled upon them. The atmosphere pulsed with adrenaline mixed with fear. 

Annabeth wasn't quite sure what she would see. What if he was hurt? Or worse? What if she was too late? 

As she pulled up along one of the quieter parts of town, Annabeth realised that Percy was somewhere in one of the alleyways along a street. Dilapidated, derelict shops and buildings lined the empty roads. 

On a Tuesday night, Annabeth expected more people to be up and about. 

"I don't know which alleyway it is," she informed her friends, holding the steering wheel in a death grip as she let up on the acceleration. "Stop me if you see anything." 

The third alleyway they pulled up to was when Leo called for her to stop. 

"That's his family's car, isn't it?" Leo guessed. Annabeth looked over to see that he was right. 

"Let's go," she breathed. "Now." 

All three teenagers hopped nimbly out of the car, Annabeth locking it behind her as she started running towards the alleyway. 

"Percy!" she whisper-shouted, spotting s familiar head of dark hair. 

Percy's green eyes widened for a fraction of a second, his mouth dropping open. "What—" His gaze turned cold when it landed on Jason and Leo at her heels. "What the hell are they doing here?" He shook his head frustratedly. "Never mind, are you insane?" he demanded, turning back to her. 

"I could ask you the same thing!" Annabeth cried. "What is wrong with you? They're going to kill you, or injure you to the point closest to it!" 

"You can't be here," Percy warned. He glanced up at Jason and Leo. "None of you should be here — they don't care who they hurt." 

"More of a reason why we should be here," Leo cut in. His brow creased worriedly. "Look, we're here because of Annabeth, but objectively, there's a high chance you'll die if we leave now. If they see you have some back up, they'll almost definitely leave you alone." 

"Or they'll feel provoked and attack us?" Percy suggested angrily. "I don't think they'd feel threatened by a couple of kids. If you really were here for Annabeth, you'd know that the best thing for her is to get away." 

"Well, I'm not leaving till you change your stupid mind," Annabeth snapped. 

Jason eyed Percy with intense dislike evident in his features. "You'll also know that Annabeth is incredibly stubborn. She won't move till you do. So why don't you just come with us and we can leave?" 

Percy shook his head helplessly. "I can't," he said desperately. "Don't you get it?" 

"Look, you can't protect whoever this blackmailer is threatening if you're dead," Jason pointed out. 

Percy's gaze flickered to Annabeth again, acknowledging that she'd kept his secret in the end. 

"You don't know anything about me," Percy told Jason through gritted teeth. "But believe me when I say that none of us are going to get out of here unscathed if you don't leave now." 

Annabeth opened her mouth to interject again, when her ears pricked at the sound of distant footsteps. "Percy," she said lowly, giving Jason and Leo nervous looks. 

Behind them, coming from the main road, was a middle-aged man and two buff bodyguards flanking him. Annabeth felt her stomach churn at the sight of the gun holstered on his waist. 

"Mortelli," Percy called out. "I'm here on behalf of Gabe Ugliano." 

Annabeth saw Jason freeze at the name, recognising it as that of Percy's stepfather. Sending him a silencing glare, Annabeth refocused on the confrontation in front of her. 

"Who're they?" The man in the centre — Mortelli, she assumed — jerked his head in her direction. "Back-up?" he almost mocked. 

From his Latino features and strong accent, Annabeth took a guess that he was Brazilian. He looked crime-hardened, and she definitely did not belong in the same alleyway as him. 

Percy swallowed. "Friends."

Mortelli didn't take his eyes of Annabeth, suspiciously scrutinising her. "Do you have the money?" 

Annabeth wanted to take off and run. It was what he instincts were screaming at her to do. But her brain combatted it with a firm "no". 

"Gabe isn't ready to pay yet," Percy said warily. "He's asking for another month." 

Mortelli barked a laugh that made Annabeth shiver. "Another month?" he said disbelievingly. "Ugliano's already paying late! And he knew the terms of our deal." Mortelli paused with a smirk. "Or maybe he needs a reminder." 

Before any of them could even react, Mortelli's gun was in his hand and firing, the echo of the shot reverberating down the alley. 

Annabeth felt her heart leap into her throat as the bullet just grazed Percy's side as he tried to leap out of the way. 

Racing at Mortelli, Annabeth wrenched the gun out of his hand, the firearm skittering across the cobblestone floor and hitting the wall. 

Mortelli barked an order in Portuguese, pulling out a small knife from his boot. Annabeth leaped back, narrowly avoiding getting slashed, and before she knew it, the situation turned into a fight. 

It wasn't a fistfight in the hallways, and this time, they were all on the same side. 

Jason and Leo rushed one of the bodyguards at the same time Percy took the other. Annabeth's old self-defence training from classes Helen made her take all those years ago came rushing back, and she and Mortelli were tangled dangerously in a dance of knives. 

Annabeth punched him in the nose before backing away, the scoundrel giving her a menacing smirk as he pursued. 

"Hey! Over here!" someone shouted. 

As Mortelli spun around, Annabeth took the chance to stamp on his back leg, sending him down to the floor with a sickening crunch and an agonising howl. 

Her head snapped up to see Frank bashing into the bodyguard Leo and Jason were fighting, sending him sprawling to the ground. Annabeth sprinted away from Mortelli and towards Percy, who was already staggering dizzily from a bruise on his right shoulder. 

She landed a few punches on the bodyguard's abdomen from behind him before he knocked Percy out of the way and spun around to face her. 

Annabeth's eyes narrowed on the shiv in his hand moments before he stabbed her in the side, eliciting a painful gasp. 

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled, stumbling towards her. 

Annabeth felt herself collapse against a wall, the world spinning around her as she felt the sticky wetness of blood on her fingers when she pulled her hand away from the wound on her abdomen. 

The bodyguard's head sounded a loud "crack!" when Percy knocked him out with a blow from behind. "Annabeth," he muttered in concern, kneeling down in front of her. 

"I'm fine." Her voice sounded slurred even to herself. 

"No," Percy said with a wince. "You're not." 

Annabeth rolled up the hem of her shirt, wincing as she spotted the stab wound just below her ribcage. It wasn't deep, fortunately — she'd tried her best to dodge the hit. 

"We...we need to go," Annabeth murmured. "Not much time. They'll get up soon."

There were a few minutes where Annabeth's mind was in and out of a haze, the shock and pain of the wound messing with her head. 

The last thing she remembered was Percy's arms sliding under her to lift her up, muttering a mantra of "Please be okay."


	10. Like Spiderwoman

Annabeth woke up in a room of bright marble. The ceiling and walls were cream, and the grey floor matched the theme perfectly. 

Piper's house. Her living room, to be exact. 

A small groan escaped her lips as Annabeth shifted her position. She was propped up against a wall, a bandage chafing against her skin. 

"You're awake!" someone said in relief. Jason? Leo? 

As the person neared, Annabeth realised that it was Frank Zhang, one of Percy's friends. His face, which she'd only seen twisted in anger, was framed with concern, assessing the damage done to her. 

Annabeth glanced at the clock. 7.20pm. She hadn't been out for long then. 

"What happened?" she groaned groggily, attempting to raise a hand to her head. Annabeth hissed as she felt a bolt of pain spark from her ribs. As she looked down, her stomach churned at the sight of the widespread bloodstain on her previously white and pink-striped t-shirt. 

Trying to inch her arm in minuscule movements, Annabeth rolled up the hem of her shirt, instantly shuddering as she saw the bandages covering her abdomen. 

The stab wound. Someone had wrapped it in bandages, but some blood still stained it. 

"God," she murmured. "That looks terrible." 

"You probably shouldn't move," Frank advised. "Piper said she called your mum to say that you'd fallen asleep. She said you could stay the night." 

Annabeth blinked. Helen must've thought the pressures at school were giving her a hard time and making her tired. 

Her eyes widened as she realised that her other friends had also been in the fight."Did we all get away fine?" 

"You were hurt the worst," Frank assured her. He looked down. "Thanks for jumping in for Percy. I know you got hurt, but he might've gotten worse if you hadn't." 

"I would do it again," she told him nonchalantly. "He's my friend too." 

Frank gave her a begrudging smile. "I'm sorry I told him to avoid you. You're not so bad, Chase." 

"Please," Annabeth said dismissively. She glanced down at her wound with a laugh. "I think we're acquainted. Call me 'Annabeth'." 

A pitter-patter or footsteps alerted her to Jason's arrival in the living room, his stance relaxing when he saw her awake. 

"Oh, I was so worried," he groaned, rushing to her side. "How do you feel?" 

Annabeth struggled to sit up properly. "Not that great. It hurts, but I'm alive, so I guess I'll take it." She made a face when she saw his black eye. "That looks painful." 

"Would've been worse if Frank hadn't jumped in," Jason admitted. Annabeth watched in astonishment as the two boys exchanged smiles. 

"I've died and gone to heaven," she snorted. "Look at you two, being all friendly." 

Frank wrinkled his nose. "Not quite there yet." He shrugged. "But you're not too bad, Jason. I'll get Piper and Leo." As he stood up and walked away, Annabeth looked at Jason expectantly. 

"Well, I'll say the bruise looks pretty badass," Annabeth said helpfully. 

Jason scoffed, "Piper didn't think so. Nearly killed me when she saw it." 

Annabeth studied his face. A certain someone hadn't been mentioned at all. 

Jason caught her drift and sighed. "He's okay. Shaken up. Piper patched up the cut on his arm. He blames himself for your getting hurt." 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Of course, he would. I made my own choice. No one forced me to do it." She gave Jason a wary look. "Do you blame him?" 

Jason shook his head. "I blame whoever made him do this." He hesitated. "Percy said 'Gabe Ugliano'. That's—that's his stepfather, isn't it?" 

Annabeth averted her gaze, unable to lie straight to her friend. "It's not for me to tell you." 

"I feel bad for him," Jason said gravely. "Percy, I mean. He's beating himself up for this, Annabeth." He shrugged. "He's not my favourite person but he doesn't deserve to torture himself either." 

Annabeth balanced her weight on her arms and struggled to push herself off the floor.

Jason's eyes widened in alarm. "What are you doing?" 

"I need to see him," Annabeth insisted. "You said so yourself — I can't let him guilt himself aimlessly." 

"I don't think that's the best idea," Jason said doubtfully. "You shouldn't be moving. We couldn't bring you to the hospital, so we had to stitch the wound up ourselves." 

Annabeth felt her hands go weak at the idea of someone pulling needles through her skin. 

"We have you ibuprofen, but you were already out of it enough from blood loss that you didn't wake up. I don't know how good of a job Hazel did, but she took first aid courses in middle school, so she was the best person to do this." 

The door to the living room creaked as the other filed in, talking quietly. 

Annabeth's heart skipped a beat when she saw Percy. His gaunt expression and melancholy green eyes made her heart clench for him. 

She wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but she didn't want to do it in front of everyone else. As Annabeth tried to catch his eye, Percy purposefully avoided meeting her gaze. 

Frustrated, Annabeth pursed her lips, but remained where she was. 

"How were my stitches?" Hazel inquired nervously. 

Annabeth gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, by the way." She winced as she moved her legs. "But you might have to tell the coach that I won't be in to netball for a while." 

There were a few seconds of silence. 

"That was probably the craziest thing I'll ever do in my life," Leo said at last, earning chuckles from the others. 

Hazel glanced at Percy. "Would you explain to us exactly what it is?" 

That was when Percy finally looked at Annabeth. She wanted so badly to sit next to him and tell him that she was fine. And he was fine. And they were lucky not to have been hurt more. 

What was he going to tell them? Annabeth's story about the blackmailer had too many holes in it for them to believe it. 

As it turned out, Percy told them the truth. All of it. Minus the gory details, but including the whole thing with Gabe, and the real reason he and Annabeth had become friends initially. 

Annabeth watched as Percy spoke, seeing Hazel and Frank's bewildered expressions and Piper's eyes glinting angrily. It was strange, seeing them all sitting together, conversing cordially. 

"Why haven't you gone to the police?" Leo was the first to respond. He swallowed. "Glass bottles? You could get seriously hurt." 

"Better me than my mum," Percy explained. "You guys would do the same." 

Annabeth bit her lip. He was right. She couldn't exactly judge him, knowing that she'd do the same thing in his place. 

Hazel was next. Her devastated expression was enough to make Annabeth want to comfort her. "Why didn't you tell us?" 

Percy shook his head. "I couldn't," he said helplessly. "You would've tried to stop me, or go to the police, or Gabe would've hurt you for interfering. I didn't want anyone else to get involved." He paused. "I'm trusting you with this." Percy's gaze flickered to Jason, Piper and Leo. "All of you." 

Annabeth knew that the four of them weren't going to instantly become friends, but it brought her some sort of happiness to know that Percy trusted her enough to trust her best friends. 

+++++

Annabeth stalked down the street with more irritation than she'd ever felt. 

Today was Wednesday and followed the events of terrifying yesterday. Most of the others left Piper's house at around midnight? but Annabeth stayed over. The wound made it near impossible to fall asleep, so she'd spent most of her seven hours in bed tossing and turning frustratedly. 

In the morning, Annabeth had to swing by her house to pick up her school things, and it was definitely one of the biggest challenges she'd ever faced to hide her condition from her family. 

The Internet, as unreliable as it was, was their only source, and Annabeth was supposed to give her wound about 10 days to heal completely. Till then, she made the excuse to her sport coaches that she couldn't play due to a sprained ankle. Instead, she sat on the bleachers, revising new and old tactics or doing homework. 

It didn't hurt much to walk anymore, but Annabeth often found herself wincing whenever she moved her abdomen enough that the wound chafed upon itself. Now that hurt like a bitch. 

Aside from her physical pain, Annabeth was also troubled by the fact that Percy was going out of his way to avoid her. 

Throughout the day, Annabeth found herself smiling at Frank in the hallway, or working together with Piper and Hazel in English. But Percy either ignored her completely or avoided her like the plague. 

Which brought her to here, the pathway leading up to Percy's house, where she knew he would be after skipping football practice to let the cut on his arm heal. 

"Percy, open up!" she yelled, rapping on the door. "I know you're in here, so why don't you come down here and give an explanation instead of hiding like a coward!" 

The blue door swung open to reveal a middle-aged lady with curly brown hair and warm eyes, her eyebrows arched in surprise. 

Annabeth felt her face go scarlet as she suppressed the urge to bury a hole and hide in it. 

"Hello?" Sally Jackson said, amusement written all over her face. 

"I am so sorry," Annabeth rushed, horrified that she'd practically shouted at Percy's mother. "I-I thought Percy was—"

"Oh, he's here, alright," Sally chuckled. "And don't worry about it, I often feel the need to scream at him too. Please, come on in, I was just on my way out." 

As Annabeth stepped into the threshold of Percy's house, she realised that she'd never been here before. 

"How do you know Percy?" Sally asked. Curiosity was evident in her voice, but there was no hostility, despite Annabeth's attempts to scream the house down. 

Annabeth tugged at the hem of her shirt nervously. "Um, we're friends. I'm Annabeth, it's a pleasure to meet you, Ms Jackson." She held out a hand, praying it wold bridge the awkwardness. 

"Please, call me 'Sally'," she insisted, shaking her hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you. Percy's been talking about you a lot the last few weeks." 

Annabeth stepped back in surprise. "He has?" 

"Mum," came a yelp. "There's no need to expose me." 

Annabeth's gaze flickered to the stairwell — it was Percy, hurrying down the stairs in an attempt to stop his mother revealing any more of his secrets. 

"I haven't even gotten to the baby pictures," Sally protested. When Percy gave her a pleading look, she chuckled. "I'm kidding. Take a joke, dear."

Annabeth wasn't quite sure how to act. She wanted so badly to berate Percy and demand an explanation, but at the same time, his mother was here with them. 

Sally seemed to sense the tension between them, because she inched towards the door. "I'll go first, then. See you later, Percy?" As she swung out of the house, Sally gave Annabeth a smile. "It was wonderful meeting you, Annabeth."

As the door shut behind her, Annabeth whirled around time face Percy. 

"Because of you, I screamed at your mum," she hissed accusatorially. 

Percy seemed to relax, snickering, "I can't believe you did that. I could hear you all the way from my room." 

"Shut up," Annabeth muttered. "I hate you." 

"No, you don't, or you wouldn't be here." 

She hated to admit it but he was right. "That's reminds me of why I'm actually here," she retorted. "What did I do that made you decide to just straight-up ignore me?" Annabeth paced agitatedly. "It's not Hazel or Frank, because I've spoken to both of them today, but not you. It's not like either of us care what other people say about us. So what is it?" she demanded angrily. "What did I do?" 

"It's not what you did," Percy snapped. "It's that you got hurt." 

Annabeth recoiled. "What?" 

"You got hurt because I roped you into coming after me," Percy reminded her. "Mortelli wouldn't even know who you are if you hadn't been there." 

"Well, that was my choice," Annabeth said sternly. "Not your fault — mine." 

"He's dangerous, Annabeth," Percy warned. "And now he knows not only you, but our friends too. Don't you see?" he pleaded. "I'm bad for you. Your friends were right. Two weeks we've been friends and you get stabbed? That's not exactly a good thing!" 

"I already told you that it's my decision," Annabeth said angrily. "And I decided a long time ago that you were worth it." She swallowed. "Do you trust me?" 

He nodded. 

"Do you trust that I can take care of myself?" 

Again, he nodded reluctantly. 

"Then let me," she said firmly. "Respect that I made this choice, and you can try to keep me out of your life, but because I made that choice, I'll always be in it. But it's up to you whether you want to be friends, because I'm sick of this back-and-forth with you. Ignoring me isn't going to make me heal any faster. But talking to me would make both of us a whole lot happier." She exhaled deeply after her mini-soliloquy, glaring at Percy expectantly. 

Your move, she urged. 

"I suppose life is kind of dull without you," Percy mused quietly. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes, shoving him in the side. 

"I do want to be your friend," Percy admitted. "But I don't want it to cost you your life." 

"Then you'll have to stop doing dumb things that might make me risk it," Annabeth said decidedly. Maybe this would be a way to curb his recklessness and make him see sense. 

She knew better than to ask him to go to police right now, but in time, Annabeth hoped he would understand that she was right.

The revving of an engine in the driveway made both of them freeze up. 

"Your mum's back early," Annabeth said in surprise. Her brow creased when she saw Percy's closed-up expression. 

"Not my mum," he breathed. 

Before she could react, Percy was pulling her by the hand upstairs, both of them clambering up the staircase and into his bedroom. 

Annabeth backed up into the bed, her heart hammering wildly as Percy clicked the lock on the door. 

"It's Gabe," he said worriedly. "You have to go. Now." 

"What about you?" Annabeth demanded. 

"I'll be fine," he insisted. "He's not drunk. But I don't want to take any risks when it comes to you." 

Annabeth pursed her lips. "Fine," she relented. "What do I do?" She followed his gaze to the single window in his room. 

"No," she hissed. "Are you crazy?" 

"It's the only way out," Percy said apologetically. 

Annabeth gritted her teeth as she opened the window and peered outside. 

There was a metal staircase leading down his window trellis, but she'd have to climb over to get there first. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem, except that she was injured right now. 

She turned back to him. "I'm going to rip my stitches." 

"You won't," Percy promised. "Please, it could be a lot worse than ripped stitches if Gabe finds you." 

"It's easy," he told her. 

Annabeth gave him an incredulous look. "Easy?" she asked in disbelief. "You're asking me to climb out of a two-storey building." 

"Like Spiderwoman!" Percy protested. 

"Yeah, except I don't have a radioactive spider bite to help me," she hissed. Annabeth huffed, feeling torn between two bad options. 

"Be careful," she emphasised, glaring at him.

Annabeth pulled up Percy's desk chair and stepped onto it, hoisting herself up and over his windowsill. Her hand released the grip as she sling herself over the drop, landing unsteadily on the metal landing below. 

Pain shot up her legs, but Annabeth gripped the fence to steady herself. Her stitches were still intact. 

Annabeth shot Percy a thumbs-up from where she was, watching as he closed the window, sealing himself off from the world. 

She only hoped that he wouldn't get hurt.


	11. The Unexpected Play

Annabeth scoured the stands with her gaze before spotting Piper in the bleachers, her cheerleader uniform peeking out from under her hoodie.

"Hey," she panted, jogging up to her friend. 

Piper gave her a greeting hug, careful to avoid the wound. "You're late," she accused with a frown. "You missed our routine." 

Annabeth winced. "Sorry, sorry, I'm here now. I did promise Jason I'd be here for the first game of the season." She peered over Piper's shoulder, reading the words on the hoodie she was wearing. It was Jason's, and Piper always wore some sort of the team's memorabilia when she came to cheer him on. 

Leo stood to Piper's left, and he waved in greeting. 

Annabeth scanned the field to spot her friends. They were warming up, all chattery and nervous for their first game. 

Percy, who was the quarterback, stood next to the coach, talking in low tones as they reviewed plays. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration she'd never seen him portray doing anything else. 

As if by telepathy, Percy glanced up to see her, and his features instantaneously brightened into a grin. Annabeth hid a smile, flashing him a thumbs-up. 

Her gaze sidled to the rest of the team. Jason was speaking to Beckendorf as they did short laps of the field. Frank was off to one side, stretching, probably rerunning the plays in his head. 

Luke Castellan and Matt Sloan were there too. Once upon a time, seeing Luke, his windswept blonde hair and piercing blue eyes would've made Annabeth's heart do somersaults in her chest. In all honesty, she didn't feel that way about him anymore. 

In the corner of her eye, Annabeth caught a glimpse of a familiar head of frizzy, brown hair. It was Hazel, scouring the stands for a place to sit. 

"Do you want to ask her to sit with us?" Piper whispered, having seen the other girl as well. 

Annabeth eyed the rest of the students in the bleachers. Practically the entire school was here. Students who would, without a doubt, talk about them at the first chance they got. 

"Yeah," Annabeth said, ignoring her own thoughts. Hazel was great, and definitely worth getting a few stares. "Hey, Hazel!" 

She waved her arms around like a lunatic until the other spotted her, cracking a smile at the sight. Piper beckoned her vigorously, gesturing to the seat next to them. 

"Hello," Hazel said cheerfully. "Didn't realise you guys would be here." As Leo shuffled up to make space, Hazel slid into the seat on Annabeth's right. 

"Supporting Jason," Annabeth explained. She peered round Hazel's back. "Ah, I see you're wearing Frank's hoodie." 

Hazel smiled. "Yeah." She high-fived Piper when she spotted Jason's hoodie on her. 

"Ladies and gentlemen..." The speakers boomed deafeningly. 

"It's starting, it's starting!" Piper said excitedly, clutching the bar in front of her. 

"Give it up for...the Blue Devils!" 

Celebratory music blasted as their school team burst out from below. Since they were seated in the first row, Annabeth could see everything as it happened. 

She cheered and screamed till she felt her throat go hoarse. 

The boys jogged out in their gear, blue jerseys and numbers on display. 

"Look at these young men! Aren't they absolutely dashing?" the commentator boomed. "Let's give a little somethin' to the spectators in the stands!" 

The football team came to a halt, waving and blowing hilarious kisses to the crowd. Percy even executed a mocking bow and formed a heart-shape with his arms over his head. Again, he caught her eye and pulled a silly face. 

Cheesy, she wanted to shout, but she was too busy laughing. 

When the referee blew the whistle, Annabeth had never felt so pumped with adrenaline before. The first game of the season was always an essential one, and seeing that the school team had missed out on the trophy by only a couple of points the last few years, she hoped that they'd be able to snag it this time. 

The moments of the team whispering in low tones to each other and shuffling into position ceased as Clarisse snapped the ball back to Percy. 

Annabeth would never not reel from shock as the players erupted into a violent head-on shoving contest. Her eyes followed Travis as he raced further up the field, leaping into the air and making an almost-impossible catch from Percy as he took off in a sprint. 

Travis was as fast as he was skinny, so Annabeth could see why he was on the team. He got their 1st down, gaining just over ten yards, before one of the players from the other team tackled him. 

The players rewound into their initial position as the next play started. 

"Hike," she vaguely heard Percy yell. Beckendorf and Matt Sloan held off the defensive line as Percy scanned the field for anyone open. Frank was eventually passed the ball and rampaged through the defensive line, sending players to the ground as he took off running down the middle. 

Annabeth hissed as another player tackled him before he could reach the ten-yard line, ending the first play. In the corner of her eye, Annabeth spotted Hazel's worried gaze as Frank spent a few more seconds on the ground, his chest heaving. 

Percy jogged over, leaning down to exchange a few words, before he reached out a hand and yanked Frank to his feet. 

Annabeth spotted Jason back in his starting position as the tight end nodding stiffly as the two of them as they returned. 

+++++

Percy practically collapsed the moment the referee called half-time. Stumbling over to the side, he slumped onto the bench, panting as he tried to catch his breath. 

"Cupcakes!" came Coach Hedge's piercing shout. "You were good out there, but not quite good enough! Stoll Jr.! What the hell was that..." 

The bench creaked as Frank slid into the spot beside him. 

"We're only down by five," Frank said helpfully. 

Percy groaned. "Yeah, but we have been for the entire second quarter." It wasn't that they were bad players, but the other team was both massive and extremely good. He shook his head. "I fumbled the ball back there. Didn't get it to Grace in time." 

Frank shrugged. "Look, it's fine. There's a ton of people in the stands, and you got the next play anyway. Can't expect to always be perfect at it, Percy." He lowered his voice. "Besides, I let their receiver get past me too. I'm too distracted," he said frustratedly. 

Percy's gaze flickered to the stands, where Hazel was sitting with Piper, Annabeth and Leo. 

"I know, I know," Frank grumbled. "I don't have any reason to be jealous. Hazel isn't anything like that, and Valdez keeps his distance, but my mind keeps wandering." 

"Tell me about it," Percy muttered. 

In the changing rooms, the conversations about other girls didn't usually bother him. Matter of fact, they'd all joined in at one point or another, but Matt and Luke were especially lewd about it. One of them had mentioned Annabeth earlier, and every time Percy glanced over at her he felt a screaming need to warn her. 

Shaking it out of his head, Percy turned his thoughts towards Jason instead. They weren't that chummy yet, in fact, they cooperated only for the sake of the football team and Annabeth, but it didn't mean that Percy loved the guy. He was too nice, too good. There had to be something bad about him, and it unnerved him that he couldn't identify it. 

A few swings of water and run-through of plays later, the players were called back for the second half of the game. Travis was hyping everyone up, clapping them on the backs so hard, Percy even stumbled a little. How did someone so small have so much strength? 

The third and fourth quarters didn't see their enthusiasm falter, but no matter how hard Percy pushed himself and the team, they consistently lagged a few points behind the others. 

"Come on," Percy urged as they huddled in discussion. "There's a minute to go, and we're down twenty yards and a touchdown." 

"Jackson," Jason interrupted. "We're not gonna make it." 

"Not with that attitude," Percy said firmly. It wasn't even a jab, it was a plea to keep trying. They were so, so close. 

He could see Jason looking at him warily through his helmet, as if trying to work him out. They'd never gotten along, and Percy knew that people knew that. The other team hadn't seen him pass to Jason the entire game — hell, even Hedge knew that they barely worked together. 

"The only thing we have is the element of surprise," Percy reasoned. "Frank, if you feign snatching the ball from me, I can pass it to Jason, and he can run it past the line." 

Surprise widened Jason's eyes. 

"They won't expect it," Percy insisted. "And that'll give me enough time to race up the field. When I'm close enough, you throw it to me before you get tackled, and I'll try to make it to the end zone." 

Even though they didn't say anything, Percy could see how insane his teammates thought he was. 

Matt snorted. "You're an idiot if you think this'll work. Quarterbacks don't run. You won't make it past the line." 

"Shut up," Jason snapped at him. Percy saw Frank hide a smile. The blonde player gave Percy a serious look. "Are you sure about it? It's the riskiest play we've ever tried." 

Percy shrugged. "What've we got to lose?" 

On that happy note, they broke the huddle and started forming up against the defence. 

"Good luck," Jason murmured. "If this works, I'll make you those damned blue cookies you love so much." 

Percy stifled a grin. "Hope you like baking." 

The referee blew the whistle, and it was like time slowed down.

Percy's heart thrummed furiously under his chest plate, the blood rushing in his ears and muting the screams from the bleachers. 

The ball slipped from Clarisse's arms, and he caught it with absolute precision. As Luke, Connor, Beckendorf and Matt struggled to push back the other team, Percy felt Frank rush past him, temporarily blocking him from the other team. 

The moment Frank's hands slid off the ball, Percy hiked it to the right, taking off in a mad sprint the moment he felt the wind rush past as Jason caught it. 

He'd never run so quickly in his entire life, and Percy felt the other teams' indignant shouts and his own teammates' cheers as he barrelled towards the end zone. 

He was nearing Jason now, who had narrowly avoided two tackles, but had the cornerback coming for him any second now. 

"Now!" Percy yelled, praying to the heavens that Jason would get his signal. 

In a miraculous move, Jason pitched the ball over head a split second before the cornerback smashed him into the ground. 

Percy's legs moved of their own accord, pushing him through the last five yards. Was Jason okay? Was he hurt? It was like his mind had become detached from his body. 

Rolling head over heels, Percy tumbled into the end zone with a deafening whoop, the stadium erupting into shrieking cheers as he scored the deciding point. 

Lying on his back, Percy closed his eyes, allowing a goofy grin to settle on his features. 

They'd done it. They'd won. 

"Percy!" was his only warning before Frank jumped on him, all his teammates piling onto him like a stack of pancakes. 

Percy groaned between chuckles as they slid off him and he was pulled to his feet, receiving high-fives all around and words of congratulations. 

"Percy! Percy!" the school cheered. 

Percy jogged lightly over to where Jason was getting up from his tackle. He shot the other an amicable smile. "Couldn't have done it without you." 

Jason laughed. "Yeah, we make an okay team." 

Percy grabbed Jason's hand and raised it in the air, beckoning for the stadium to cheer, and soon, shouts of "Jason! Jason!" filled the air.


	12. A Giant Teddy Bear

"Absolutely fantastic playing out there, boys!" Coach Hedge declared as he walked past their tables, clapping their backs. Percy almost choked on his sandwich. 

Their celebratory team meal at Subway was a tradition. It started last year, when one of the now-graduated seniors took them out here after winning their first game. Percy had just started playing for the team at the time. They'd all bonded and gotten on sugar highs for the rest of the day. 

"So, do I need to send you the recipe?" Percy said with a smirk. 

Jason rolled his eyes. "I didn't think you'd actually manage to do it, but I guess a bet's a bet."

"See, this is a lesson," Percy said pointedly. "Have faith or you'll end up baking me cookies." 

"So inspirational," Beckendorf feigned swooning. "You should go on a banner, Percy." 

There were the sounds of scraping chair legs against the floor as Frank clumsily climbed back into his seat, two foot-long sandwiches in his arms. 

"You're kidding me, right?" Jason said incredulously. "Frank, you just finished two of them!" 

"One's for me," Percy said helpfully, grabbing the ham and cheese sandwich from Frank. 

"How are neither of you fat?" Will muttered in disbelief. 

"Hey, I'm big," Frank protested. "I need protein." 

Jason's phone buzzed with a text from Annabeth. Percy read it over his shoulder. 

congrats! we're going out for lunch with Hazel, catch you guys later? 

"So, Percy, what's the deal with you and Annabeth?" Beckendorf held up a hand before Percy could argue back. "Don't kill me, Silena's put me on a top-priority mission to get all the details from you. Don't shoot the messenger." 

Percy felt Jason stiffen and Frank shoot him a warning look. 

"We're friends," he said vaguely. "That's pretty much it." 

"I thought you guys hated each other," Travis said, wrinkling his nose. "I've never seen you two in the same room without getting in a shouting match." 

Percy flushed. That was kind of true. "Well, it's a long story. I had an overdue book, she wanted it, when I finally brought it back, she found it funny, we had laughs, boom, here we are." 

Will blinked. "That sounds more like a love story to me." 

"Don't even go there," Percy sighed. "Drew's been a pain about that. I can't believe she'd do stuff like this." 

"I can," Beckendorf snorted. "Drew isn't the nicest, you know." 

"She was always nice to me." 

"Because you're you," Travis assured him. "She's never even given me a second glance." 

"Back to the thing with Annabeth," Beckendorf rerouted. "Do you like her?" 

Percy recoiled, alarm bells going off in his head. "God, no. No, we're just friends." If something like this became another rumour, it'd get awkward between them, and Percy definitely didn't want that. He couldn't stand the thought of losing Annabeth now that she was actually his friend. 

"So who do you like?" Will asked curiously. "I mean, you've been broken up with Reyna for ages now." 

Percy shrugged. "Doesn't mean I have to like someone else." 

Frank furrowed his brow. "What about Ra—"

His clapped a hand over his mouth at the same time Percy yelped, "Frank!" He shot his friend an accusatory look. 

"Rachel?" Travis repeated excitedly. "Dare?" 

Percy shot out of his seat. "Frank, Jason, can I speak to you for a moment?" he said through gritted teeth. 

Both looked confused when he pulled them aside. 

"I don't like Rachel, Frank," Percy whisper-shouted. "I barely know her. You and Hazel assumed it was her, and because I didn't want anyone finding out about Annabeth and me, I didn't deny it—"

The shop's bells jingled as the door opened and none other than Silena and her friends stepped in. 

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Percy muttered. 

Rachel Dare was among them, her frizzy red ponytail clashing with her cheerleading uniform. 

Beckendorf gave Percy an apologetic look. 

"Did you do this?" Percy whispered angrily. 

"I invited Silena before you told us you liked Rachel," he explained. 

"I don't—" Percy cut himself off with a not-very-subtle cough as Rachel came within earshot. He cleared his throat and sat down again, wishing he could dig a hole and bury himself in it. 

+++++ 

Annabeth's phone buzzed on the table. It was another text from Jason. 

Silena and her squad's here. Rachel Dare too 👀 Everyone thinks Percy likes her. 

Annabeth stifled a bubbling laugh as she imagined how awkward Percy had to be feeling there. 

She quickly typed back a short text under the table. 

can you tease him for me? please. it sucks that i'm not there to do it. 

You're so mean. 

i know right. 

A picture came through of Percy practically inhaling a sandwich, his cheeks redder than Annabeth had ever seen them. 

She forwarded the picture to Percy. 

i love it. heard you're having fun 😏

Percy only took a moment to respond. 

I hate you.   
I hate everyone.   
Especially Jason. 

For once, Annabeth didn't think he really meant it. 

"Hey," Hazel said as she returned with the others, precariously balancing trays. "What's up?" 

"Rachel showed up at the team lunch," Annabeth explained, flipping her phone to show Hazel the picture of her best friend. 

Hazel cracked a grin as she saw it. "Please send that to me." 

Annabeth prodded at her phone as she obliged. "We need a group chat for this. 'Blackmail on a Percy'." 

"That," Hazel pointed a fry at her. "Is a genius plan." 

Annabeth hadn't expected it at all, but Hazel fit in with them like a puzzle piece. She was fun, sweet, and had a kind of dry humour that cracked them all up. Whatever weirdness had been between Leo and Hazel before was all gone. 

She hadn't thought that Percy and his friends could've been so nice all this time, but it was a shame that they'd taken two years to figure it out. 

"Yeah, honestly everyone misjudges Frank," Annabeth tuned into their conversation and heard Hazel say that. "He's a giant teddy bear who happens to look like a wrestler." 

"The guy's built like a wall," Piper pointed out. 

"Didn't always used to be like that," Hazel informed them. She hid a smile. "When we first became friends, he used to be this chubby kid with a baby face." 

Piper "aw"ed at that. 

"But the guys seem to be getting along well," Hazel said with a shrug. "Percy and Jason scored the last touchdown together, and they didn't even fight!" 

Annabeth exhaled with a sigh. "Our standards are so low." 

+++++

"Oh, this next one's my stop," Annabeth said apologetically, smiling when she saw Brady pull a face. 

After meeting her at the ice skating rink a few weeks ago, Brady had finally worked up the courage to call her up. They'd had their first date today — a Sunday lunch. 

"I had fun," Brady said with a grin. "Really. You're awesome." 

Annabeth winced. "Yeah, I am." Her gaze flickered to the scenery whizzing past, bringing her to Piper's familiar neighbourhood. 

"Well, you have my number," Brady reminded her. "Call me sometime?" 

Annabeth laughed. "Definitely." She paused before climbing out of her seat. "Are you free this week?" 

Brady nodded with relief. "Thank goodness, I didn't think you'd ask." 

Annabeth leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for today, Brady. See you soon." 

She hopped out of the bus, unable to control the grin breaking across her face as Brady waved goofily at her from inside. 

Her mind was dizzy with their date today. She hadn't been out on one is such a long time. In her life, Annabeth had only ever had two boyfriends. Beckendorf, her first kiss, and Matt Sloan, which she regretted almost instantly. 

Brady was so sweet she almost couldn't believe it. 

Annabeth checked her watch. It was almost 5, just over a half an hour late to meeting Piper and her friends. 

As she rang the doorbell, Annabeth's eyes bugged when she saw someone unexpected answer it — Percy. 

She blinked rapidly. Dark hair, green eyes, lopsided grin; it was Percy, alright. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise, pushing the front gate open. 

"Aren't you glad to see me?" Percy feigned hurt. "Piper and I were paired up for an English project, so we're working on it today." 

Annabeth was still stunned as she had to consciously unfreeze her limbs to follow him inside.

Percy was friends with Piper? Since when? 

The astonishment didn't end there. Leo and Jason were sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to Predator, which was on at the moment. 

Papers — Annabeth assumed they were the English project — were strewn across the coffee table, and Piper sat cross-legged, furiously scribbling on them. 

"H-hey, guys," Annabeth stammered, bewildered. 

Choruses of greetings blasted her. 

"So, what's the project?" Annabeth asked curiously, still unsure of whether she was dreaming. 

"It's due tomorrow," Piper said sheepishly. "We're kind of..." 

"Lazy," Annabeth finished. 

"No, we're just forgetful," Percy corrected. 

Jason grabbed the remote and hit pause on the show. 

"Oi!" came Leo's protest. 

Pointedly ignoring him, Jason shifted to face Annabeth. "So, how was your date with Brady?" 

Leo spun around so quickly he gave Annabeth whiplash. "I forgot about that!" 

Annabeth raised her hands in alarm. "Woah, woah, calm down." 

"You were on a date?" Percy's voice was nonchalant, but there was a look in his eyes that Annabeth couldn't place. 

She shrugged. "Yeah, this guy I met at the rink a while ago." Sitting on the arm of the couch, Annabeth paused. "We went out for lunch, bowling, and then took the bus back together." 

"Did you kiss?" Leo yelped. 

"No, no!" Annabeth insisted. "It was all very innocent." 

Leo wiggled his eyebrows. "Sure." 

Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth caught a glimpse of Piper's furrowed eyebrows, directed at Percy. His face was a smooth calm, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. 

Percy cleared his throat. "A-are you guys going out again?" 

She nodded. "Soon. Or whenever I'm free. I'm still off sport for a while because of the wound, so I'll have my evenings free the whole week." 

"Hey," Piper interjected abruptly. "I think I have some more Doritos in the kitchen. Annabeth, do you mind helping me carry them?" Her colourful eyes flashed her a stern look, I need to talk to you. 

As soon as they were out of earshot, Piper slapped her round the head. 

"Ow!" Annabeth protested indignantly. "What was that for?" 

"Are you blind?" Piper hissed. "Percy likes you, and you're out there pouring salt in the wound with your wonderful date!" 

Annabeth snorted. "Okay, first of all, you're insane if you think Percy likes me. Secondly, Jason asked!" 

"Leo and Jason are idiots," Piper said dismissively, like it was generally accepted as fact. "But you're supposed to be the smart one! The boy's crazy about you! Just look at how disappointed he was when you told him about your date." 

"Pipes, no," Annabeth said firmly. "This is just because of the rumours, and you're starting to believe them. We're just friends." 

Piper folded her arms and gave her a piercing stare. "I've seen how you two act around each other — you like him too!" 

Annabeth stared at her incredulously. "Now you're just crazy." She shook her head. "Percy doesn't like me. Come on, Piper, this is Percy Jackson we're talking about. Besides, I'm with Brady, and he's probably itching to date the next girl he sees."


	13. I Have An Announcement To Make

"Hey," Annabeth said cheerfully, speeding up to walk in step with Percy. 

Monday mornings were always the worst, but it was especially bad when Percy was acting strangely around her. And he was. 

He'd been weird ever since her date with Brady yesterday, and Annabeth had no idea what she'd done to warrant it. 

When he didn't respond, Annabeth brushed past it. "You left your sweater at Piper's yesterday." She pulled out his blue football hoodie and passed it to him. 

"Thanks," he said shortly. 

Annabeth felt anger bubbling up inside. Well, if he didn't want to talk to her, then she wouldn't bother him. 

"Fine," she snapped. "Have a good day." 

She didn't see him until lunch that day. 

"I'm telling you, it's because he likes you," Piper whispered to her across the table. 

Hazel had joined them today, and while it was nice to have a bigger circle, they had to be less spaced out on the table. 

"You sure about that?" Annabeth murmured, her eyes catching on the commotion at the front of the cafeteria. 

It was Percy and Rachel, hands linked and flirting in a way that made Annabeth wrinkle her nose. 

"Oh my God," she heard Hazel mutter under her breath. 

"Did you know about this?" Jason asked Hazel. 

Hazel shook her head in disbelief. "No. He didn't mention anything. I thought she asked him out after the game on Saturday, but he said no." 

Annabeth's ears unconsciously strained to hear the conversations from other tables. 

Gazes swivelled to pierce through the back of her head, judgemental and hateful looks making her want to curl into a ball. 

"That was quick." 

"I know, a couple of days and she's just another conquest?" 

"It's typical of Jackson, come on, when has he spent more than a few days on one girl?" 

"I wonder if she knew before today." 

"She looks sad about being publicly dumped. It's pathetic, honestly." 

"Annabeth's just another one of the million girls who fell for Percy. She's no different to the others." 

Annabeth released a choked gasp as she suddenly stood up from her seat. Percy and Rachel were steering their way over to their table, and there was no way she could do this right now. 

She swept her tray up stiffly. "I need some air," Annabeth breathed, stumbling away from the table as she narrowly avoided bumping into other students. 

Whiffs of other people's words encased her as she cleared her tray before racing out of the hall as quickly as she could. 

Annabeth was practically sprinting to the lockers by the time she had her bag and bus card at the ready. Students whispered as she passed, the same things she'd always dreaded. 

She's a trophy on the wall. 

Do you even think she meant anything to him? 

What a slut. Putting out for a player? Big mistake. 

"Annabeth!" 

She slammed into Frank, who caught her before she could fall. 

"Th-thanks," she stammered. "Sorry, I-I gotta go." Her eyes were brimming with tears that blurred her vision. 

"Do-do you need a ride?" Frank asked tentatively. 

Annabeth just wanted to get home, get in her room, and cry until she got it out of her system. 

"Yes, please," she hiccuped. 

The two of them walked out of the school in silence, neither even attempting to make conversation. 

When they got into the car, Frank said quietly, "Do you want to talk about it?" 

Annabeth opened her mouth for the instinctive "no", but she recalled Hazel telling her that Frank was like a giant teddy bear. Maybe she could use a confidant. 

"Percy's dating Rachel," Annabeth started slowly. 

Frank's eyes widened. "And you like him? Are you jealous?" he bombarded immediately. 

"No!" Annabeth yelped. "No! Why does everyone think that?" 

Frank gave her a sheepish look. "Sorry." 

"It's just that because of it," Annabeth explained. "And all the rumours. Everyone's saying stuff about me again. Stuff that I can't exactly ignore." She buried her face in her hands. "Everyone hates me." 

"Not true," Frank corrected. "I don't hate you," he added helpfully. 

Annabeth laugh tearily. "Yeah?" 

"You're actually really cool," Frank admitted. "Hazel and I were worried you'd get Percy into trouble with Jason again, but you guys are different than what we expected." He winced. "Truthfully, Percy's sounds like he's being a dick right now." 

"Language, Zhang," Annabeth remarked, raising an eyebrow. 

"It's true," Frank protested. "He's my best friend, but sometimes he can be really, really stupid. If he doesn't see that what he's doing is indirectly hurting you, that someone has to tell him before he screws up the best thing that's ever happened to him." 

Annabeth gulped. "You think I'm the best thing that's ever happened to him?"

Frank shrugged. "You stuck around a boy you knew was trouble, just so he wouldn't have to be alone. You might not see it, but Percy's happier with you around. More like he used to be before this whole Gabe situation got so complicated." 

Elbowing him in the side, Annabeth swiped at her eyes. "Stop, you're going to make me cry." She paused, folding her hands in her lap. "When I was little, we lived in San Francisco before moving here. I did my first year of middle school there. The girls there bullied me so much, and I know, I was 12, but it still hurt. And I didn't have a single friend." 

She shrugged. "Then I came here. Met Jason, Piper, and Leo. And I figured, y'know, this works. This is good. No more bullies." Annabeth bit her lip. "Yeah, that was wrong. They might not realise it, but they're doing exactly the same thing people from my old school used to do. It isn't easy having stuff said about you. And I guess I just always expected my friends to have my back, and I thought Percy was one of them," Annabeth hesitated. "But now it seems like he's mad at me or something, and I hate that he doesn't care — or at least he doesn't seem to." 

She wanted to punch a wall. Hell, she wanted to punch Percy. She hadn't cried about a boy since elementary school, and it was shame to break her streak over a seaweed brain. 

"The thing about Percy that people don't seem to realise," Frank said slowly. "Is that he's smooth with everyone except the people he truly cares about. But once it's real? He's a stuttering mess." 

Annabeth couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in the back of her throat. 

"It's true!" Frank chuckled. "Get him to ask out a girl on the street? No problem. But when it was time to ask Reyna to the dance, you should've seen him, Annabeth! It was like he'd forgotten how to speak English or something!" 

He looked over at her. "He's probably realised that you mean more to him than a billion other girls, and it scares him that you're becoming so close to him despite the fact that it's barely even been a month since you guys became friends. So he's pushing you away, because that's just what Percy does." 

"He's stupid," Annabeth declared. 

Frank winced. "Kind of true. But he'll see what he's done soon, and be prepared for him to beg till you forgive him. The baby seal eyes are irresistible." 

Annabeth exhaled deeply. "We'll see." 

A few seconds of silence filled the car. 

Frank fiddled with his car keys. "Do you still need a ride?" 

Annabeth glanced at the clock. Time flies. They had five minutes till class. 

"No," she said firmly. "I'm not gonna let them have the satisfaction of upsetting me." Annabeth yanked on the door handle and stepped out of the vehicle. 

As they walked back into the school, Annabeth struggled with a way to voice her feelings. "Thank you, Frank," she said at last, when they arrived in front of her Maths classroom. "I don't know why I ever thought you were terrifying. You're like a..." Annabeth chuckled. "Giant teddy bear. Hazel was right." 

Frank pulled a face. "Man, I hope that doesn't stick." 

She waved goodbye to him as she took her seat in the classroom, the first one in. As she gazed out the window and caught sight of her friends under the tree, Annabeth felt the corner of her mouth tug up. 

She counted five people. Her friends were joined by Percy and Hazel, who were in a tight mud-angel competition with Leo on the ground as Piper and Jason cuddled under the tree. 

Annabeth pointedly ignored the hushed chatter that arose once a few more students entered the room. Some things were worth it. 

+++++ 

The moment he and Rachel stepped into the cafeteria, Percy spotted Annabeth whisk herself out of the room, probably off to the library or something. 

He spied Hazel sitting with Annabeth's friends, and made a beeline for them. As he neared the table, Percy noticed their distraught expressions and low tones. 

"Hey, I'll, uh, I'll see you later," he told Rachel distractedly. He caught the curious look she shot him before retreating to her own friends. 

"What's going on?" Percy demanded as he slid into the empty seat between Hazel and Leo. 

Jason and Piper exchanged worried looks. 

"Annabeth took off a little suddenly," Leo explained. 

Percy frowned. "Why?" 

Hazel winced. "You haven't heard?" 

A weird sense of déjà vu overwhelmed him for a moment. "The last time you said that, it didn't end so well," Percy said uncertainly. "What's going on?" 

"People are saying things about Annabeth again," Jason sighed. "Because of you and Rachel." 

Percy threw a glance over his shoulder and when he tuned into other people's conversations, he really heard it. 

Now that Annabeth was gone, the chatter seemed to have only escalated. 

"Personally, I think she's the ugliest of all the girls Percy's gone for. I don't get what he saw in her." 

"Another notch on his belt." 

From their words, Percy sounded like a massive asshole. And then he realised that lately, he kind of had been to Annabeth. 

"This is ridiculous," Percy muttered, slamming down his fork. 

It was one of his ADHD moments, where he simply did the first thing that came to mind. 

In a split second, Percy found himself standing on their lunch table, his friends gawking at him. 

"Percy, are you crazy?" Piper hissed. 

"HEY!" Percy yelled. "I have an announcement to make." 

The silence ripples across the room, every person falling quiet as they turned to look at him. 

"Not that it's anyone's damn business, but nothing happened between me and Annabeth," Percy enunciated, his voice reverberating off the walls. "We're just friends, and if I hear anyone else talking about her like that, you'll be answering to me." 

Amidst whispers, Percy climbed down from the table and picked up his cutlery again. "So, what were we talking about before?" 

Hazel gaped at him. 

"Come on," Percy sighed. "It had to be done. In fact, I should've done it sooner. For some reason, they listen to me, so I might as well make good use of it, right?" 

Percy counted the seconds in his head before someone spoke. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

Four. 

"Y'know," Jason broke in. "You're not the worst, Percy." 

"Thanks," Percy said, weirdly touched. He hadn't expected that at all. 

His gaze rocked the exits for any sign of his favourite blonde, but she was nowhere to be seen. Pushing the concern out of his mind, Percy turned to the others. "Anyway, you can interrogate next about Rachel now." He rolled his eyes as Hazel nearly jumped in excitement. "I know you've been dying to."


	14. Love Is In The Air

Percy rapped on the door nervously, shuffling his feet back and forth as he waited impatiently at Annabeth's door. 

He didn't quite know what he wanted to say to her, but the main thing he knew he needed to get out was "sorry". 

The events that transpired at lunchtime only reminded Percy of how much he had to make up to her. Stopping the rumours once and for all was only the first step. 

Yesterday, when Annabeth had so excitedly informed him of her date, Percy had felt a weird discomfort.

Albeit, somehow or other, Percy ended up texting Rachel, taking back his rejection and asking her out for a late dinner date.

In all honesty, Rachel was really sweet. She was also funny, sarcastic and cute in a way that made Percy smile every time he saw her. 

He hated to think that she was only here to take his mind of Annabeth. Percy never dated anyone he didn't have feelings for. He just wasn't that kind of person. 

But whatever his motives, that had resulted in Annabeth receiving the backlash, so he had that to apologise for. 

The third mistake he'd made was being distant this morning. The thing with Annabeth's date had really freaked him out, enough to feel awkward around her. 

And that was just stupid. This was Annabeth. She'd seen him with glass in his head. Nothing could really make things awkward anymore. 

The third thing he had to apologise for, and it probably wouldn't be the last time he would have to. 

So when Annabeth opened the door, naturally, the first thing out of Percy's mouth should've been "sorry". 

Unfortunately for him, Annabeth was wearing pyjamas shorts and a t-shirt with matching owls on them, and it absolutely made him blank. 

"I tried to get here fast," Percy blurted out. "But I was all sweaty after practice, and I figured you'd kick me out if I didn't have a shower, so I went home and changed, and then I came here. And it's really late, so you're probably eating dinner—"

"Percy!" Annabeth interrupted with a snort. "Slow down, I barely understood what you just said." 

He felt his cheeks burn so red he could've sworn they were on fire. "Right." 

Annabeth eyed him doubtfully. "Do you want to come in?" she offered politely. 

"Uh, sure," Percy said, guessing that it was probably a bad idea to have this conversation out in the cold. 

"So..." Annabeth trailed off. 

Percy opened his mouth to start, but caught sight of her parents and brothers sitting in the dining room, staring bemusedly at them. 

"Can we talk in private?" he whispered. 

Annabeth glanced back at her prying family, and her face flushed in embarrassment. "Dad," she hissed with a groan. 

So they went up the steps to the second floor of her house. 

"Okay, what is it?" Annabeth asked, her arms crossed over her chest. 

Percy scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm really sorry. For everything. The rumours, blowing you off, and now, Rachel." 

"You don't have to apologise about Rachel," Annabeth interjected abruptly. "I mean, I don't care." Somehow, her tone didn't match her words. 

Percy dismissed it as his own overthinking. "Look, I've been a really bad friend. And I can't believe I didn't see it before — how much it affected you. But I kind of," he paused. "Shut that down." 

Annabeth took a step back. "How?" she said worriedly. 

Percy winced. "Doesn't matter," he said instead. There wasn't any point in getting her worked up about his declaration at lunch. "Frank told me you were upset, and I should've been there for you. That's what friends do. So I'm sorry about that." 

"It's okay, Percy," Annabeth sighed. "Really, I've just...had a bad day. Not your fault." 

"And yesterday, when you told me about Brady," Percy shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, I acted a little weird about it." 

Annabeth scoffed. "Yeah, Piper got it into her head that you had a crush on me." 

Percy snickered. "Please." 

"Oi." 

"I don't really know what it was," Percy said truthfully. "But that's my issue, and it's gone now. I'm going to try my best to be a good friend starting from now." 

"A good friend would leave the house really quickly before my parents have time to show you anything humiliating of me," Annabeth told him. 

Percy feigned thoughtfulness. "I mean, is friendship all that important—Ow!" Her elbow jabbed into his ribs and made him double over. 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Percy laughed. "I'll go." 

Annabeth studied his face. "Gabe's home today, isn't he?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well," she drew out the word. "I am doing very important school work — family move night, and we're watching 'The Parent Trap'. You could join us, tell him you're doing a project with me." 

Percy hid a smile. "That sounds great." 

Before she could walk down the stairs to tell her family about the change of plans, Percy blurted out, "Thanks." 

Annabeth grinned. "No problem." 

+++++

"Okay, so I've got the food, Hazel's bringing games, and you've got music covered, right?" Piper rushed, zooming around the picnic blanket as she rearranged everything to perfection. 

Annabeth reached out to hands to steady her friend. "Woah, calm down," she laughed. "Piper, everything is perfect." 

Piper shook her head nervously. "It's the first time we're properly hanging out together, all seven of us. What if another fight breaks out?" 

"It won't," Annabeth promised her. "Look, it's spring — love is in the air, or whatever. Percy, Frank and Jason are okay, Leo and Frank can be civil, and Hazel's practically interweaved with us now. It's gonna be fine." 

Today marked the first day of spring, and two weeks since Percy's heartfelt apology at her house. Piper had organised a friendly picnic as their first group event, and it was an understatement to say she was nervous. 

"Pipes!" Hazel, her frizzy hair whipping across her face with the wind, waved vigorously from afar, Frank and Percy traipsing behind her. 

She had a large duffel bag slung over her right shoulder, badminton rackets and a soccer ball peaking out of the zip. 

"We brought the drinks," Percy assured Piper as soon as he caught a glimpse of her frantic behaviour. He discreetly sent Annabeth a wide-eyed what's-up-with-her look. She grabbed the Coke and juice from his arms and set them down beside the array of food Piper had set out. 

"L-look, I know it's s-supposed to be sp-spring, but it's freezing," Frank chattered as he shuffled from side to side in an attempt to stay warm. 

Annabeth gave him a strange look when she caught sight of the familiar coat he had on. "Are you wearing Hazel's jacket?" 

"He got chilly on the ride over," Hazel explained with a giggle as she sat down on the picnic mat. "I'm from Alaska, it'll take a lot more than this to break me." She pointed at the sky. "Bikini weather." 

Jason and Leo later arrived with the fruits, and were promptly berated by Piper for being three minutes late. 

"How are you dating her?" Annabeth heard Leo mutter, then freeze up in fear when he spotted Piper's glare. 

Pretty soon, they were all sprawled across the ground, chattering and laughing about everything and anything. 

"You're welcome," Jason declared dramatically as he peeled the lid off of a tupperware box to reveal a stack of half-burnt blue cookies. 

Annabeth snorted. "What in the same of sweet hell are those?" 

"You've never had blue cookies?" Hazel and Frank chorused in unison. 

Percy looked over at them with shining pride. "I have train you so well," he choked out. 

"Sally, Percy's mum, makes the best blue cookies," Hazel vowed. "It's heaven in your mouth." 

"And it's definitely not what these are," Percy insisted, wrinkling his nose at Jason crappy fill-in cookies. 

"Hey," Jason protested. "Leo and I had to make them a few hours ago." He winced. "Neither of us have ever baked before, and it looked a lot easier in the video." 

Annabeth hesitated for only a moment before she grabbed one of the cookies and cracked off a piece. As she popped it into her mouth, Annabeth hummed thoughtfully. "Well, it's better than the time Leo tried to make dinner. But I can't really taste the—"

"Sugar?" Leo asked. "Yeah, we forgot about that." 

Frank stared at him. "How. Do. You. Forget. About. Sugar." 

"It's hard, okay!" 

Annabeth snickered. "That's what she said." Without a second glance, she and Percy shared a high-five in the air. 

"These do not count as blue cookies," Percy announced, resealing the tupperware. "You have to get it right to fulfil the bet." 

"No," Jason pleaded. "I was so tired the whole time. I'm a great chef, can't you just let me make you pasta?" 

"Blue pasta?" Piper echoed. 

"Has to be cookies," Percy corrected obstinately. "That's the beauty of it. My mum's the only one with the exact recipe." 

"So I'm going to spend the rest of my life making you cookies," Jason deduced. 

Percy shot him a thumbs-up sign. 

Somewhere along the way, they ended up playing football with the soccer ball. 

"I don't understand this game," Annabeth complained. "Netball, basketball, hockey, hell, even soccer, I understand, but this is over complicated." 

"The point," Leo said slowly. "Is to take down your opponent?" 

"Well," Percy said doubtfully. "I mean, it depends on the position you're playing. But basically, yeah." 

Annabeth cocked an eyebrow. "So I could punch you?" 

"No!" Percy yelped, a little to fast. "That's a foul." 

"But you just said to take them down!" 

"Like a tackle!" Percy protested. He sighed exasperatedly. "Look, I'll show you—"

Leo practically leaped back a foot. "Dibs not it!" 

Annabeth snorted. "He'd crush you; Leo, we'd all crush you." 

He frowned. "I'm not that scrawny." Leo mentally sized up Hazel. "No, yeah, you guys would destroy me." 

When Frank finally managed to drill the basic rules into their heads, they started a game of football in the park, with Leo as a referee, since he didn't really want to get plowed over. 

"Okay, when we get this game," Hazel announced. "We'll play boys against girls." 

Piper gave her an incredulous look. "Are you crazy?" 

"Up to you," Percy said, raising his hands in surrender. 

"Okay, wipe that cocky grin off, Jackson," Annabeth scoffed. "You three are taller than us. If we played touch football, I bet we could beat you." 

Frank raised a hand. "I usually try to be nice — but, no." 

"Hey, I play sports, okay!" Hazel said indignantly. It was kind of comical to see a tiny girl with a personality twice her size. 

As they drew into a huddle, Annabeth leaned into her small team. 

"We have to beat them," she hissed. "For feminism." Annabeth paused. "And gloating rights." 

"For gloating rights!" Piper chanted enthusiastically as they broke the huddle. 

Hazel started with the ball, snapping it back to Annabeth, who dodged Jason's arm before sprinting towards their end zone just a few feet away. 

Percy's shadow alerted her to his presence before he could get there, leaving her to punt it to Piper, whose hand slipped across it before it dropped. 

"Turnover!" Leo yelled. 

"That's rugby!" Annabeth returned. 

The score kept neck in neck, with both Piper and Frank dropping out due to Lazy Syndrome, as Annabeth called it. 

"You are the most competitive person I've ever met," Percy panted as he rolled the ball back to the middle again. 

Jason groaned. "Please, this is nothing. You should see her when we play Pictionary." 

"It was clearly an octopus!" Annabeth shrieked accusatorially. 

"It looked like a broomstick!" Jason insisted. 

"Can we stop?" Frank groaned. "I'm bored, and I actually like football. You've been at it for half an hour." 

Annabeth eyed Percy furtively. "Fine. Tie. For now," she added. 

As soon as the words were said, relieved cheers erupted from the group. 

Annabeth and Percy, both with similar thoughts, lay out on the ground, limbs spread-eagled, as they took a short rest. 

"It's getting dark already," Annabeth said with surprise. The hints of sunset were starting to peak out from the corners of the sky. They'd spent the entire afternoon together and barely realised it. 

Turning her head to the right, Annabeth saw Percy holding up his phone and pulling a face as he snapped a stupid picture of them on the ground. 

"Seaweed brain," she muttered, swatting at his arm. 

His phone buzzed, and Annabeth watched curiously as his eyebrows furrowed. 

"It's Gabe," Percy groaned. "He wants me to get back and do chores. I told him I'd wash his car." 

Choruses of disappointed protests bombarded him as he got up, pulling Annabeth to her feet alongside him. 

"Keep us posted!" Jason called as Percy shrugged on his jacket and hurried away from the group. 

Percy spun around and shot him a last grin before heading towards the bus stop. 

Annabeth felt a strange sort of bewilderment mixed with satisfaction as she realised something incredibly ridiculous; Percy and Jason were friends.


	15. Spring Break

"This feels like that scene in High School Musical 2," Piper told Annabeth and Hazel as they took their seats at the larger table. 

When she was met with raised eyebrows and puzzled looks, Piper sighed exasperatedly, "You know. When they're counting down the seconds to summer break." Without a reaction, Piper threw her hands up in the air helplessly. "My friends are uncultured." 

"Well," Hazel interjected. "You'd be counting a whole lot of seconds, Piper. We have the entire day till spring break begins. Geography's the first lesson in a long day." 

"And then we have exams," Annabeth moaned. 

"Stop being so negative," Piper complained. "You're both killing my vibe. It's spring break. God knows I could use a holiday right now." 

Annabeth's attention had been caught by something else happening by the door. Rachel Dare had just entered, only to be knocked askew by Drew, who was stalking in with a full body of nasty energy. 

"I see she's got a new target," Piper murmured. 

Ever since Percy and Rachel has started dating, Drew had become even more determined to get him back. She made Rachel's life absolutely miserable, attacking her in the cheerleading squad (according to Piper) and every other aspect whenever she found the opportunity to do so. 

Annabeth felt sorry for her. She'd experienced the same thing mere weeks ago. 

"Rachel," she called out before she could stop herself. Annabeth ignored Piper's piercing look. "Do you want to sit with us?" 

"What are you doing?" Hazel whispered. 

"Being nice," Annabeth murmured out of the corner of her mouth. "She's Percy's girlfriend, and one of Drew's victims. She's been through enough." 

The redhead's relieved expression was enough.   
"Thank you," she breathed, setting her bag down in the seat on Annabeth's left. "Drew's been a real pain in my ass." 

Annabeth laughed. "Tell me about it." She gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about her. We're not all like that." 

Rachel smiled. "Yeah, I don't think I've really talked to you guys before. Percy told me about what happened to you once we got together," she frowned. "People can be bitches sometimes." 

Annabeth grinned. "Y'know, I like you." 

"Thank you," Rachel said cheerfully. "It's nice to properly get to know you. I mean, now that Percy and I are..." She gestured vaguely. 

Annabeth's gaze flickered to Hazel's expression. She'd learnt how to read people over the years, and Hazel didn't seem as engaged in the conversation as Annabeth would've thought. 

Then she realised that Hazel had probably been through this with a couple of other girls, considering that she'd been one of Percy's best friends for over two years now. 

Hazel had to have welcomed all of his new girlfriends, and yet, none of them lasted. She probably didn't see any point in getting to know Rachel. 

Hazel didn't think Rachel and Percy would last, Annabeth realised with a start. 

Sending silent telepathic conversations going on, Piper restarted the conversation with a polite, "So are you going to Luke's party later?" 

Rachel nodded. "I think Silena's the designated driver tonight." 

That reminded Annabeth of the usual precautions she'd have to take tonight. Seeing as she had to go back home to her parents and little brothers, she never got drunk at parties, especially because she was terrified by the idea of not knowing what she might do. 

"Percy always drives Frank and me," Hazel added. 

"He doesn't drink?" Rachel asked in surprise. "Why?" 

Obviously, her question was as innocent as an angel, but Annabeth suddenly made the connection between Gabe's drinking habits and Percy's lack thereof. 

"Doesn't have a taste for alcohol," Annabeth cut in with a plastered smile. Her mind wandered back to the night Percy had a beer bottle smashed over his head. 

It was to be horrible for him to be around it all the time at parties. Annabeth felt her stomach churn sickeningly. The whole situation constantly made her want to find him and protect him from the entire world. 

"Silena and I were trying to decide what to wear," Rachel explained. "See, we do this dumb thing where we do coordinating outfits and take stupid pictures." She laughed. "It's weird, I know, but it makes the night more fun..." 

+++++

"Hello," Percy dragged out the last vowel as he hurried to take the free seat next to Annabeth. Ever since everything had settled down, they'd been sitting together in AP Biology, pretty much the only lesson they had together without any of their other friends. 

Annabeth hadn't tied up her hair today, and her free curls glinted under the rare sunlight. 

"Hey," Annabeth said abruptly. "Are you coming to Luke's later?" 

Percy shrugged. "Probably. I mean, everyone's going, even though Luke's kind of a dick." 

That earned a snicker. "C'mon, he's not that bad." 

"You're only saying that because you used to like him," Percy insisted. "He's horrible. You should hear the locker room talk — seriously, he and Sloan could make a priest cry." 

"I don't like him anymore," Annabeth protested. "That was ages ago." 

"You said you were basically in love with him," Percy corrected. 

"I wasn't," Annabeth said embarrassedly, elbowing him in the side. "He was a football player, and is really good-looking, could you have expected anymore of me?" 

"Good-looking?" Percy echoed disgustedly. "I am so hotter than that guy." 

Annabeth hid a smile. "Sure, sure." 

"Hey!" 

+++++

Annabeth tapped her hand on the door handle as she waited patiently for Percy to top up on gas. 

Since he lived around them, Percy had offered to give both Jason and herself rides to the party. 

"Did you know that Percy doesn't drink?" Annabeth blurted out. Following a squabble over shotgun, she and Jason had decided to both take backseats. 

Jason winced. "I mean, he never did at our football parties. I always assumed his parents were really strict or something." 

"Yeah, no, just Rachel mentioned it today," Annabeth trailed off. 

"You talked to her?" Jason asked in surprise. 

Annabeth nodded. "Drew was tormenting her in Geography, so I invited her to sit with us." 

Jason snorted. "Drew still won't let it go, huh." 

"Nope." Annabeth glanced out the window to see Percy hurrying back to the car, his good pulled over his head to block the rain. 

"Personally," Jason said absently. "I think you and Percy would make a much better couple." 

Annabeth's jaw dropped. She made to interrogate him, but Percy had already climbed back into the car. 

"Sorry that took so long," Percy apologised as he revved up the car's engine. "My mum said I could only take the car if I filled up the gas on our way out."

Annabeth glared pointedly at Jason. He'd better shut up about this while Percy was here. Piper must've somehow corrupted him too. 

The ride wasn't too long, seeing as Luke lived further out in the suburbs, but it was filled with alternating conversations. 

"This is not what I was expecting," Annabeth said, staring at the house. The driveway was empty, but pulsing lights could be seen shining through the windows of the first floor, and deafening music could be heard even from afar. 

Percy snorted. "I mean, I heard he was rich but..." 

"Guys!" Luke hollered as he stumbled out of the front door, a red cup in hand. 

As he high-five Jason and a very reluctant Percy, Luke turned to flash Annabeth a toothy smirk.

"You look nice tonight," he offered, and Annabeth was too astonished to take a step back at the stench of his breath. She looked down; she was wearing a t-shirt and a skirt. She knew for a fact that she kind of looked like a slob. So why was Luke paying her attention tonight of all nights? 

"Thanks," she returned uncertainly as they followed him inside. "I hope we don't trash your house too much." 

"It's no big deal," Luke said, falling over his words. He was clearly already a little tipsy, and it was only 10. "My parents are away till next week." 

As soon as Annabeth stepped inside, she wanted to put on headphones and hug her family. There were a lot of drunk students doing things that would make their parents cry. 

"Percy! Jason! Annabeth!" Matt slurred as he staggered over to Luke's side. "Can I get you anything?" 

Annabeth caught Jason's eye and infinitesimally shook her head. At the last party, Matt had added vodka to Beckendorf's coke and gotten him drunk out of his mind. 

"I'm okay," she said sweetly. "Just looking for my friends." 

"I think saw Piper making out with a hunky dude back in the kitchen," Matt winked at Jason. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." 

As the duo left them, Percy shook his head. "Wow, they are going to make some bad decisions some day." 

"Some day," Annabeth repeated, her gaze following to where Matt had canonballed into Luke's backyard pool. "Bold of you to think they'll even make it there." 

"Hey, guys!" Drew whirled around, accidentally crashing into Annabeth, a fit of giggles. "Wh-what's up?" Her speech was messy, giving away her inebriated state. "Wanna dance, Annie?" she begged with doe eyes. 

Annabeth turned back to Percy and Jason. "I think drunk Drew's a whole lot nicer than normal Drew," she laughed. 

As Drew dragged them onto the dance floor, Annabeth found herself twirled by both the other girl and random people around her. 

"I don't know why I don't like you," Drew shouted over the music. Her eyes were cloudy and unfocused. 

Annabeth didn't quite know how to respond to that. Even though it was a little of a backhanded compliment, Drew hadn't been nice to her since middle school. This was completely new ground for her. 

"Is it because of Percy?" Annabeth suggested. She couldn't exactly make things worse between them. And it wasn't like Drew would remember this tomorrow. 

"No," Drew said decisively. "I didn't like you before I had a crush on him." 

Annabeth shook her head. It always boiled down to Percy, didn't it. "Why do you even like him, Drew?" 

Drew gave her a strange look. "Why do you?" 

Taken aback, Annabeth tripped over the carpet and fell into someone's arms. 

"Sorry," she groaned, pushing herself off of Luke. 

Luke spun her around smoothly, giving her a smile. "It's okay." He glanced around. "You're having fun, right?" 

Wow, I'm a hot topic today, Annabeth thought. First Drew, now Luke? All I need is Matt to make three miracles. 

"I am," she reassured him. "It's a nice party. Nice setup." 

"You haven't even had anything yet," Luke reminded, passing her a cup. 

Annabeth wrinkled her nose. "This is tequila and cheap champagne." 

"Lighten up," he insisted. "It's a party, Annabeth." Luke stopped dancing to plead, "I'm the host. I need everyone to have fun." 

Rolling her eyes, she took a sip. One cup wouldn't hurt. Besides, it wasn't like she was a lightweight. 

Half an hour later and Annabeth regretted it. The bubbles had gone straight to the head. She could still think straight, but her vision shook every time she took even the tiniest step. 

"Yeah, I think I need a minute," Annabeth confessed, setting her cup down and waving goodbye to Luke. He returned it as she stumbled to the kitchen, ears ringing with the blaring music.


	16. Luke’s Party

As she pushed open the wooden door, Annabeth stumbled inside, arm against the wall for support. "I am never drinking champagne again," she muttered under her breath. 

"Annabeth?" 

She spun around — a mistake, considering how dizzy she was — to see Percy sitting by the kitchen counter, clicking away at his phone. His fingers paused, hovering over the screen as he raised an eyebrow at her presence. 

"Yeah, I'm a little tipsy," she admitted. "It's the champagne." Annabeth stayed in her spot uncertainly. "Sorry, I know your reservations about alcohol. I'll go if you want." 

"No, it's fine," Percy interjected quickly. 

Annabeth slid over to the opposite side of the kitchen island, leaning on her elbows as she studied his face. "Are you okay?" She frowned. "I know my voice is kind of shaky at the moment, but I'm asking you seriously." 

Percy hesitated for a moment before he put down his phone. "Sometimes I need a little alone time when it gets too much. The drinking, and the music, and the people. It's just...a lot." 

"You sure you don't want me to leave?" Annabeth echoed. 

He chuckled. "Nah, you're okay." 

"What're you playing?" Annabeth asked curiously, staring at his phone. "Is it one of those shooting games Jason and Piper always play?" 

Percy scratched the back of his neck. "Actually, it's, uh, Candy Crush." 

Laughter bubbles up in the back of her throat. "Oh my God, you play Candy Crush?" 

"Only when I'm bored," Percy protested. "Plus, you don't need Wi-Fi for it." 

"I hated that game," Annabeth said vehemently. "I sucked at it. Always frustrated me when I didn't have any lives left." 

Percy shook his head, ducking his face to hide a smile. "Look at us and our heartfelt conversations about Candy Crush." He sighed. "Y'know, I kind of wish it was like this with Rachel." 

"I thought you guys were going well," Annabeth groaned. "C'mon, I like her. She's really nice." 

"She is," Percy agreed. "Just..." He swallowed. "I don't know. We had a weird start, and I don't feel like I did with Reyna." 

Annabeth felt her head starting to clear, and as she sobered up, she pulled up one of the bar chairs to sit across from him. 

"I think it's different with every relationship," she explained. "Reyna was your first real girlfriend, and Rachel's a bit more casual." 

"Just doesn't feel like it should," Percy admitted. "Like now, I don't feel like I can open up to her at all about this. Rachel's a really good friend, but I don't know how good I can be as a boyfriend."

"I think you'd be pretty good boyfriend material," Annabeth said absently. 

Percy grinned. "Oh, really?" 

She shrugged. "You just seem liked you'd open doors and carry groceries." 

"Oh, is that what people look for in guys nowadays?" 

"Different for everyone," Annabeth reminded him. "Although I'd have to say that a proper sense of humour is a real turn-on. And not dumb jokes, but, like, proper, dry humour. Personal preference, I guess." 

"I think you have to have some things in common," Percy suggested.

"I'm a believer in the whole 'opposites attract' thing," Annabeth contradicted. 

"I didn't think you'd be the type." 

"Yeah, I don't know, if you're too similar, there isn't enough challenge." Annabeth picked at the hem of her shirt. "Also same there if the guy is too nice. Doesn't work for me." 

"Does Brady fit the criteria?" Percy questioned, intrigued. 

Annabeth paused. "I mean," she started tentatively. "He's a very sweet guy. He's fun to be around." She shrugged. "I don't know. I've never had a super serious relationship before. Anyone who I thought could last past high school." 

She glanced at him. "Have you?" 

His green eyes met hers. "Once, I thought Reyna might be it," he admitted. "But looking back on it now, we didn't even fit all that well. I still couldn't open up to her about things I wanted to. And it was good that she ended it before it got too messy." 

The door was flung open as Piper and Rachel came stumbling in. 

"There you are!" Rachel said excitedly. Her green eyes danced wildly as she skipped over to Percy's side. Annabeth silently commended her for running in heels while drunk. 

Annabeth avoided Piper's gaze, knowing exactly what was waiting for her. She wasn't in the mood to hear anymore romance crap. 

"I'll give you guys some space," Annabeth said kindly, grabbing her bag and following Piper our the door. 

When she finally looked over at her friend, Annabeth was surprised to see the lack of judgement. 

"I've decided that you know what you're doing," Piper told her apologetically. "Sorry I kept trying to interfere." 

"It's fine, Pipes," Annabeth reassured her. "That's what friends are for." Her gaze flickered one last time to Percy sitting by the counter, eyes roving over everything in the room but Rachel. 

"Yeah," Annabeth breathed. "Friends."

+++++

Later that night, Percy found himself outside by the pool, finally reuniting with the rest of his friends. 

Piper was hopping from foot to foot. "Someone's been in the bathroom for an hour," she groaned.

"Throwing up or having sex?" Percy inquired. 

"We're not quite sure," Annabeth said slowly. "Though I think it's the second one." She wrinkled her nose distastefully. 

Annabeth was more sober now, her eyes no longer glazed over and her movements less sluggish.

"Are you..." Percy frowned as he took in the sight of Hazel and Frank. "Soaked?" 

"We jumped in the pool," Frank confessed. "Hazel's a little drunk." 

"No, I'm not!" Hazel almost shrieked. 

Percy squinted to see Luke and Matt smoking cigarettes at the other end of the pool. 

"I know," Annabeth said in a low tone. "I'm trying not to smell it. It's really bad." 

Percy turned around to see Drew dancing on top of the ping pong table in her bra and skirt, flailing her arms around as she bopped to the music. "Okay..." 

"Do you guys wanna dip?" Jason said abruptly. 

"God, yes!" 

"Finally!" 

As the seven of them tried to rush to Percy's car as discreetly as possible and squish into the five-seater, there were a lot of giggles and complaints. 

Annabeth, who'd been smart enough to call shotgun, sat comfortably in the front with Percy, while the other five squeezed in the back. 

"Let's go to mine, there's no one home," Piper announced. "My dad left his alcohol cabinet open, so we can drink in peace and quiet." 

Leo ended up doing shots, the others cheering him on. Piper's pool at the back was strictly off limits, in case anyone threw up in it (it had happened at the last party she hosted). 

Annabeth, who was still trying to sober up, relaxed on the couch with Percy, as they started a random game of Scrabble. 

"How are you beating me while you're tipsy?" Percy groaned. "Yeah, I'm dyslexic, but isn't that basically the same thing?" 

Annabeth hiccuped. "It's because I'm naturally awesome, Percy. Get with it."

Percy glanced momentarily at his phone. 

"Expecting a text?" she asked. 

"Yeah, from Rachel," Percy explained. "Silena promised me that she'd get her home safe, but I made her promise to text me once she got home anyway." 

"You're a good boyfriend, Percy," Annabeth told him in a matter-of-fact tone. 

Percy chuckled. "Thanks." 

Her eyes sidled to the clock. 12.30am. 

"What time's your curfew?" Percy inquired. 

"1.30," she replied disappointedly. "It's not too bad. I mean, I'm pretty tired." 

"I'll drive you back," Percy offered. "I mean, I know you're semi-sober but no way should you take a cab home alone like this." 

"Thanks," Annabeth laughed. "I think I'll take you up on that, actually."

After they got ready to leave and had thanked Piper for opening up her house to them, Annabeth and Percy stumbled to the car. 

"Spring break is here," Annabeth said in relief as she strapped her seatbelt on. "Finally." She eyed him. "Y'know you're gonna have to start studying soon, right?" 

Percy pulled a face. "Couldn't let me have one night?" 

Annabeth laughed. "No rest for the wicked." She yawned. "Do you want to get coffee tomorrow morning?" 

"You mean Walter's," Percy corrected. "Since you never actually get coffee." 

"Yes," Annabeth agreed. "Wow, you know me so well." The sarcasm was lilting. 

+++++

With his eyes glued to the countdown timer on Annabeth's phone, Percy continued to scribble across the page. 

Bing! Bing! 

He let out a whoop of triumph as he finished the Maths mock exam paper at the very last second. "I did it!" Percy sighed dizzily. "I finished it in time." 

Annabeth high-fived him, pulling his paper over to mark his answers. 

It was Saturday and the morning after Luke's party. Unlike their classmates who were nursing hangovers, Percy and Annabeth had begun their rigorous studying for the finals. 

Percy knew that they were essential in next year's university applications. 

"You seem to have done pretty well," Annabeth said in surprise. "Y'know, this is good, 'cause NYU likes mathematical students." 

Percy scoffed, "Yeah, but NYU's the dream. It's just a target, I'm not actually gonna make it there." 

Annabeth shrugged. "Well, not if you think like that." 

"You really think I could get in?" Percy asked curiously. 

Annabeth sighed. "I think you're smarter than you give yourself credit for, Percy." She eyed him suspiciously. "Oh, that's gonna come bite me in the ass, isn't it?" 

He grinned. "Wish I'd gotten it on tape." 

Though it didn't come up again, in the back of his mind, Percy was aware of the fact that Annabeth was the first person to ever truly believe in him. 

"A chamomile for Annabeth Chase and a latte for Percy," Walter declared as he delivered their orders. 

"Thank you," they chorused. 

Percy stared at Annabeth as she sipped her decaffeinated deink. "What's the real reason you don't drink coffee?" he said suddenly. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine." She set down her pen and shifted to face him. "When I was a kid, I was home alone and decided to use my dad's coffee machine. I made a cappuccino and it began one of the worst nights of my life. I was up the entire night, unable to sleep and all jittery from the coffee. After that, I vowed never to drink it again." 

Percy burst into snorts of laughter. "That's the dumbest story I've ever heard." 

"Shut up." 

"I was expecting some dramatic tale! But no—"

"Okay, stop! I regret everything..."


	17. The Spring of Break-Ups

Percy glanced up as the restaurant door's bell jingled to see a familiar redhead ducking inside. 

"Hey, Percy," Rachel breathed. "Sorry that I had reschedule for dinner. My head was killing me this morning." 

Suppressing a grin, Percy feigned innocence. "Yeah, that's such a surprise. You weren't at all drunk last night." 

Rachel chuckled. "Shush, you." She picked up a menu and scanned the words. "What are you getting?" 

"Ravioli, I think?" Percy shrugged. "What about you? I know you're allergic to shellfish. Maybe the pasta?" 

"Lasagne," Rachel amended. 

After they'd put in their orders, Percy watched uncertainly as Rachel shrugged off her coat and turned on him with a serious look. 

"Okay, Silena told me I shouldn't do this at the start of the date, but I think we need time to talk about it," Rachel sighed. "I'm breaking up with you, Percy." 

It was like someone had flash-frozen his mind. Left stunned, Percy stared at her in disbelief. "I-w-what?" 

"It's not because of you," Rachel protested. "Well, not because of your personality or anything — you're funny, sweet and the best boyfriend I could've asked for, Percy." 

"Is there a reason?" Percy asked helplessly. "Sorry, it's just a little..." 

"Out of the blue," Rachel finished apologetically. She paused. "There is a reason. A rather obvious one at that."

Percy looked at her expectantly. 

"You don't know?" Rachel voiced incredulously. 

"Rach, I have no idea what you're talking about," Percy said, bewildered. 

Rachel returned the stare. "It's because you like Annabeth." 

Percy's mouth fell open as he was left ogling her speechlessly. 

"Don't tell me you haven't seen it," Rachel snorted. "Percy — it's so obvious." 

"I-I don't," Percy stammered. "We're just friends!" 

"Maybe you are," Rachel shrugged. "But you have feelings for her that go beyond that." She cast a look of concern upon him. "I'm not mad or anything — hell, I even like Annabeth, in fact, you guys would make a nice couple — but I just don't want to be with someone who's in love with someone else." 

"Woah, woah, woah," Percy interrupted. "In love? Okay, Rachel, now that's just insane." 

"I think it's true," Rachel said nonchalantly. "I think you know it too, and you're just too afraid to admit that you like this girl more than you've ever liked anyone before." 

Percy opened his mouth and then closed it again. The facts were laying themselves out in his brain. 

That weird feeling when Annabeth mentioned her date with Brady. How easy it was to be around her. Last night had been a party, and talking in the kitchen had been the best part. The notion that he hated studying, but enjoyed it with Annabeth more than a casual dinner with Rachel. 

Percy groaned. "Oh my God, I like Annabeth!" He buried his face in his hands. "What am I going to do?" 

He could hear Rachel trying to stifle her laughter. 

"Mean," he said accusatorially, looking up. 

Rachel's expression lapsed into a smile. "It's just funny to see you this worked up over a girl." 

Percy swallowed. "I'm sorry it wasn't you." 

Rachel shook her head dismissively. "Don't worry, really. I guess we weren't meant to be." 

"I am so screwed," Percy said, aghast, as he slumped into his chair. He gave Rachel a sheepish look. "Sorry, I know you don't want to hear about this." 

Rachel winced. "Yeah, I'm happy to be friends, but I am your ex-girlfriend. It's a little weird." 

"Thank you," Percy told her gratefully. "For being so good about all this." And he really meant it. He hated that his feelings weren't for Rachel, but instead, they were for someone he could never have. 

What luck he had. 

Surprisingly, the rest of dinner wasn't that awkward. 

Rachel was a fun friend, and maybe a relationship hadn't worked out, but Percy was glad that their calling-it-quits hadn't caused him to lose her. 

But as he waited at the bus stop later that night, Percy found everything he'd kept at bay rushing back to him. 

He liked Annabeth. 

Annabeth. 

Annabeth Chase. 

Wanting to kick both himself and a wall, Percy exhaled helplessly. 

It wasn't like he could do anything about it. She was with Brady. And there was no chance that Annabeth even felt the same way about him. Telling her would be at risk of losing her completely. 

Percy fidgeted with his hands nervously. They hadn't made any plans yet for spring break, but he had barely two weeks before they were back in school. 

How was he supposed to keep such a huge secret? 

+++++

"Just do it over the weekend!" Leo insisted. "Your dad's business trip ends on Friday, so he'll be back to meet Brady!" 

"No, no," Jason interjected. "Bobby and Matthew are at soccer practice, they won't be able to meet him." 

"Hey, this is my boyfriend we're talking about!" Annabeth protested indignantly. "Brady? My date? Ring any bells?" 

Piper rolled her eyes. "Oh, we're trying to decide for you because you're too fickle!" 

Annabeth slumped into her couch. Her best friends could be a pain, but they did push her to do things she was usually too afraid to do. 

"Why are you so in reservation about this?" Piper asked exasperatedly. "It's like you don't even want..." As she trailed off with a start, Piper turned an accusing look on her. 

Leo gasped in realisation. "You don't want Brady to meet your parents!" 

Annabeth flushed a dark red. "We've only been on a couple of dates," she protested. 

"You've been going out for almost two months," Jason reminded her. 

"What's the really reason you don't want to introduce Brady to your family?" Piper demanded. 

Annabeth exploded, "Fine! I-I'm not that serious about him," she admitted. "Yeah, yeah, he's sweet and all, but the spark just isn't there. I don't know how to explain it, but I don't see this going on for that long." 

Piper slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, Annabeth." 

Annabeth winced. "I have to break up with him, don't I?" As she was met by three nods, Annabeth pulled out her phone and texted Brady. 

hey, are you free for lunch tomorrow? I kind of need to talk to you about something. 

She felt Leo staring suspiciously at her. "Are you sure there isn't another reason?" 

Annabeth frowned. "What other reason?" 

Even Jason raised his eyebrows. "Percy," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Annabeth shot him one of her piercing glares. "I don't like Percy," she enunciated for emphasis. "Percy doesn't like me. There is nothing going on between us besides friendship!" 

"There is so much more!" Leo protested. "I could cut the sexual tension with a knife!" 

"Leo!" Annabeth wailed, horrified. She buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God, I hate you so much." 

Her head snapped up as soon as she heard the revving sounds of a car pulling up in her driveway. Annabeth sprang to her feet, staring daggers at each of her best friends. 

"That's Percy, Hazel and Frank," she said sternly. "Not. A. Word. To. Him." 

Piper mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key, but Annabeth caught the smug look she and Jason exchanged. 

"Hey!" Annabeth said brightly as she answered the door. 

Percy was standing there, his grin from ear to ear almost mesmerising. 

Leo and Jason's words from earlier came rushing back to her and forced a blush to cover her face as she ducked her head to hide her flaming cheeks. "Come on in," she managed, holding the door open for them. 

"I've never been to your house," Hazel noted as she flung herself onto the couch beside Jason, hugging a pillow larger than her head. 

"My parents are never really out," Annabeth explained. "And my brothers are always at home, plus, they would kill me if I ever hosted a party here without telling them." 

Her gaze flickered to where Percy was sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring into black space. "What's up with him?" 

Percy blinked to attention, giving her a sheepish look. "Sorry." He shrugged. "Rachel broke up with me last weekend."

Shouts of disbelief erupted from the group. 

"What?" Hazel shrieked. She promptly leaned over and began beating him up with her pillow. "And you didn't mention anything on the ride over?" 

"Ow!" Percy brought up his arms to defend himself from the onslaught of attacks. "You didn't bring it up!" 

"What happened?" Jason demanded. "I thought she was head over heels for you." 

"Did she give a specific reason?" Piper asked curiously. 

Percy hesitated. For a moment there, Annabeth could've sworn that his eyes flickered over to her. She remained silent, not sure how to explain how she felt about this break-up. 

"Just that we didn't really work well," he said vaguely. 

"Well," Leo said, aghast, as he leaned back against the wall. "It's the spring of break-ups, I guess?" 

"What?" Hazel demanded. Her alarmed gaze landed on Piper and Jason. "No, don't you dare break up! We've never had a good couple to double date with!" 

"Not us," Jason said instinctively, gesturing to Annabeth. 

"You and Brady?" Percy said incredulously. 

Annabeth nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's too nice. It's going okay but, there's no point investing time in something that I know won't last." 

"When are you gonna do it?" Frank questioned. 

"Tomorrow," Annabeth sighed. "I've picked the most unromantic place for a lunch date; the food court in the basement of the mall."

Leo chuckled. "Oh, that's rough." 

"I don't want to hurt him," Annabeth groaned. "He's so nice." 

"Just say "it's not you, it's me"," Leo suggested. 

"That's such a cliché," Hazel said with a frown. "Just tell him the real reason." 

"That he's too nice?" Piper scoffed. "That won't give the guy any closure at all." 

"Or you could just use the other reason you're doing this," Jason told her, hiding a grin. 

"Shut up," Annabeth said through gritted teeth. 

"What?" Percy asked in confusion. 

"Nothing," Annabeth interrupted, before Jason could say anything more. She stood up abruptly, desperate to get out of here. "Who wants cupcakes?"


	18. Exchange Students

"Did you hear?" 

"I know right!" 

"Both Annabeth and Percy are single again!" 

"Do you think there's a reason behind both of them ending their relationships?" 

"I heard Rachel was the one who did it!" 

"Maybe Percy and Annabeth started dating over spring break." 

"Is he back with Drew?" 

"No, I think he's with Annabeth now. So much for 'rumours'." 

+++++

As soon as the break was over, both Annabeth and Percy's break-ups were all the hot gossip when the new term started. 

Of course, it wasn't like she'd expected anything less. There wasn't so much name-calling of "bitch" and "slut", but just a whole lot of meaningless speculation that they were secretly dating. 

"How're you holding up?" 

Annabeth spun around to see Percy walking beside her, a concerned look on his face. She knew exactly what he was referring to. 

"Better than I expected, to be honest," she told him sincerely. 

The rumours didn't affect her as much anymore. Annabeth wasn't quite sure why, but it also helped that no one quite dared to say anything with Percy at her side. 

"There are two new exchange students, y'know?" Annabeth informed him. 

"Really?" 

She nodded. "They're from England. Hazel's been buddied up with one of them — Calypso. The other one is Zoe, who's in the year above." 

Annabeth hadn't seen Calypso yet, but she knew that she should probably get used to her being around this month. Since she was staying with Hazel, her host family, she was going to be tagging along to their hangouts from now on. 

The first time she saw Calypso was in History class, and Annabeth wasn't that proud of her immediate reaction. 

Percy, who must've had Physics with Hazel and Calypso, walked them to the door, exchanging jokes and laughs with the new girl. 

Annabeth felt her heart clench painfully at the sight, and she averted her gaze before Percy could catch her eye. 

Calypso was, without a doubt, very, very pretty. She had long, brown hair, almond-coloured eyes, and a dreamy smile. 

Feeling someone staring at her, Annabeth glanced up to see Rachel studying her expression. 

"Sorry, I know it's hard for you," Annabeth mumbled. "Seeing him with Calypso." 

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "What?" 

Annabeth paused. "Well...you guys just broke up." 

Rachel readjusted her position to look at her seriously. "Oh my God, Percy's an idiot." 

When she was met with another bewildered look, Rachel just gave her a mysterious shake of her head. "Percy didn't tell you the real reason why we broke up, did he?" 

It was safe to say that Annabeth was stunned and puzzled beyond belief, but before she could ask the other girl about it, Calypso and Hazel joined their table, forcing her to clam up about it. 

As much as she hated to admit it, Annabeth spent majority of History pondering over the confusion she was feeling. 

When Percy had told her about his break-up with Rachel, Annabeth had felt something she hadn't expected at all; relief. Why? 

She liked Rachel, she wanted Percy to be happy — yes, that was all true. But why did she still feel like she was lying to herself? 

And now, Calypso, a girl she barely knew, showed the slightest interest in Percy, and Annabeth felt ready to defend her territory. 

This was ridiculous. She didn't even know Calypso! Why was her first instinct not to like the girl? 

Nevertheless, Annabeth's inexplicable coldness ensued throughout the rest of the day, especially during lunch. 

"So, Calypso," Piper started, though her gaze flickered over to Annabeth. "Hazel mentioned that you were interested in music?" 

Calypso flashed her pearly whites cheerfully. "Yeah, actually, my dream has always been to attend Juilliard." She shrugged. "Though, I'm pretty sure it won't happen." 

"Don't say that," Percy interjected insistently. "We haven't even heard you sing yet. For all we know, you could be worthy of it." 

Annabeth clenched her fork so tightly her knuckles went white as she stared down at her food. What in the world was wrong with her? 

"Oh, thank you," Calypso laughed. Even her voice was lilting. The English accent was enunciated and only made her all the more intriguing. "You should hear it sometimes," she said airily. 

Percy smiled. "Yeah, sure, why not?" 

"I'm gonna head to the library," Annabeth said abruptly, climbing hastily out of her seat before she stabbed someone in the eye. She caught Piper's gaze on the way out, and the Cherokee girl excused herself too. 

As soon as they were out of earshot, Piper leaned down and nudged her. "Hey, what's going on?" 

Annabeth hesitated. She told Piper just about everything, but this would just make her think she had a crush on Percy. Which she didn't! 

"I don't know," Annabeth hissed back. "Calypso is..." She huffed. "I don't like her. I don't know why." Annabeth pushed the door to a vacant classroom open and retreated inside, where she slumped into one of the seats. 

"You don't know why?" Piper demanded, arching an eyebrow. 

"I'm not jealous," Annabeth snapped. "If that's what you're suggesting. I just, don't get a good vibe from her." 

"You don't get a good vibe from her because she's putting the moves on Percy," Piper insisted. "If it helps," she paused. "He doesn't seem to feel the same way." 

Annabeth snorted. "Please." 

"No, really," Piper chuckled. "You might not see the difference between the two, but Percy doesn't like her that way. And honestly, can you blame her for shooting her shot?" 

Under a gruelling pointed look, Annabeth grumbled, "Fair enough." Percy was good-looking, no doubt. And he was also single. Calypso had all the right in the world. 

Except that Annabeth wished she wouldn't. 

"I don't even know what my brain's doing anymore," Annabeth groaned. She looked up tentatively. "Okay, I'm going to say something, and no judgement from you, okay?" 

Piper eyed her suspiciously, but obliged anyway. 

"When Percy said that he and Rachel had broken up," Annabeth started. "I felt relieved. It didn't even make sense. It's not like she was ever bad for him. But it was like a huge weight had been taken off my chest." 

Piper looked like she was biting her lip so hard it was going to bleed. 

"Okay, you're gonna kill yourself if I don't let you talk," Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"You like him!" Piper exploded. "You are so blind! That's the reason behind all this!" 

Annabeth opened her mouth, but hesitated as she really mulled it over. 

Could she like Percy? Percy, who she'd only befriended a couple of months ago? Percy, who was purely and only her friend? 

Annabeth shook her head, shoving it out of her mind. "Forget that. I can't like him anyway. It's," she groaned. "It's Percy." 

+++++

"So, hey." 

Percy glanced over his shoulder to see Frank gearing up, Jason and Beckendorf beside him. 

It was ten minutes to football practice, and the coach made them do a lap for each minute they were late. 

"What do you think of Calypso?" Frank asked. 

Percy shrugged. "Well, she's nice. Good singer. Good at maths." But not as good as Annabeth, he added silently. 

Travis, who was nearby, gave Percy an incredulous look. "You're kidding, right? She's gorgeous." 

Percy furrowed his brow. Now that he thought about it, Calypso was, admittedly, very pretty. She had voluptuous brown hair that hung to her waist and eyes that seemed to warm his very soul. 

"And she likes you," Travis added. 

Percy rolled his eyes. "It's barely been a day. She can't like me." 

"She does," Jason insisted. "Piper says it's been making Annabeth—" Almost instantly, he seemed to realised his mistake and gulped done the rest of his words. 

Percy's eyebrow shot up. "Annabeth? What?" 

"Nothing," Jason blurted out. "Making her curious," he said. "As to whether you guys would make a...good couple." 

The sheer awkwardness in his tone made Percy doubt the truth of his words, but he didn't press the issue. 

"Does she?" Percy inquired, trying his best to remain nonchalant and dismissive. 

Jason's "yeah" made Percy's heart sink. If Annabeth thought he should date Calypso, then she definitely didn't reciprocate whatever he was feeling for her. 

Well, it wasn't like he'd thought she did, but the idea of no chance at all just made him slump further into hopelessness. 

"Talking about Annabeth Chase?" Matt Sloan interjected. 

Percy exchanged glances with Frank and Jason, cautiously nodding.

"She's hot," he remarked. "A little intimidating." 

"That's one of the good things about her," Percy said shortly. Don't get in a fight, he repeated as a mantra in his head. Don't get in a fight. 

"I like it," Luke voiced, shrugging. "She's not afraid to tell you what she's thinking." 

Matt snorted. "Maybe, but it's not like she'd put out. Waste of your time." 

"She's not an object," Jason snapped. 

"Woah, Grace, don't get your panties in a twist," Luke chuckled lazily. "Don't you have a girlfriend?" 

"Annabeth's a friend," Jason said hotly. "And I'm a decent human being." He paused. "Unlike some people," he added under his breath. 

"You thinking about asking her out?" Travis asked Matt curiously. 

Matt Sloan pondered for a few moments. 

Percy wanted to let him know that Annabeth would never consider it even if hell froze over. 

Fortunately, Matt shook his head. "Nah, wouldn't steal him from my boy here." 

Percy froze up as Matt patted Luke good-naturedly on the back. He could feel Frank's warning gaze piercing the back of his head. 

"She's hot, pretty, and smart," Luke shrugged. "What's not to like?" 

Luke turned to Percy, suddenly apologetic. "Hey, no hard feelings, right? I mean, you're done with her, so it's okay if I take my turn?" 

This time, Jason actually grabbed Percy's arm, yanking him back before he could throw himself onto Luke and pummel the living hell out of him. 

Breathe, Percy told himself behind red-tinged vision. 

Take his turn? She wasn't a carousel. 

And he wasn't done with her. Annabeth was still his friend, and well, crush, but that shouldn't affect this at the moment. 

"There was never anything between us," Percy said tightly. "It's not my place." 

Percy wanted to bang his head into a wall. Annabeth had briefly mentioned that she used to have a massive crush on Luke. If he asked her out, Percy was pretty sure that she'd say 'yes'. 

And it wasn't like Luke was the worst guy on the planet. He wasn't Matt. 

And Percy didn't have any control over Annabeth's life. He didn't have any right to beg her not to go out with Luke, because he was hopelessly pining after her. 

Yeah, that would be an interesting conversation. 

"Okay, enough chit-chat," Percy interrupted loudly. "We have plays to run today..."


	19. First Date

Annabeth mulled over her book as she ate her food absently with one hand, her other hand preoccupied holding 'Pride and Prejudice' up. 

Her friends were late — she had no idea where — but she'd decided that lunch just couldn't wait. 

Her gaze flickered to the door's entrance, as it had every few minutes, only to feel her stomach turn when a familiar brunette traipsed in. 

Don't look at me, Annabeth repeatedly begged in her head. 

Of course, Calypso spotted her almost instantly and waved at her brightly. 

Annabeth wanted to crawl up in a hole and die. 

Calypso had been here for a couple of days, and Annabeth had thus far successfully avoided her as much as possible. She didn't want to risk snapping at the other girl for no real reason. 

"Where's Hazel?" Annabeth inquired, hopefully not sounding as hasty as she felt. 

"Detention," Calypso said with a shake of her head and a bemused smile. "Apparently Percy and Frank made her late to class this morning. I was let off because I'm an exchange student." 

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments as Annabeth studied the other girl. She seemed completely fine. Very sweet. Funny. 

Why. Didn't. Annabeth. Like. Her. 

"So," Annabeth started, trying to delve further into whatever she was feeling. "Being an exchange student, what is it like?" 

Calypso shrugged as she pulled out a sandwich from her bag. She was vegan, so she brought her own lunch everyday. "It's fun, I guess. I miss my friends and family back home, but it's nice to meet new people." 

"What do you think of us?" Annabeth asked curiously. She really was curious. What must outsiders think of them when they were all acting crazy? 

"You're all wonderful," Calypso chuckled. "Hazel's really nice, and Percy's been welcoming, but the school environment here is so different." 

"Really?" Annabeth said in surprise. 

Calypso nodded, enthused. "There's much weight on social life, and it's like in the movies with rumours and gossip." 

The knowing look Annabeth received made her wince. "Oh, you've heard the, uh..." 

Calypso reassured her, "Don't worry, Percy already told me which ones aren't true." She paused. "Though, I'd like to hear it from you." 

Annabeth averted her gaze to her food. 

"Are you and Percy a thing?" 

"No," Annabeth admitted. It was true. They really weren't. They were just friends, and somehow had managed to bring their own friends together. But they were just friends. 

Why did that bother her so much? 

"Do you like him?" 

Annabeth swallowed. "No." The uncertainty in her tone was evident even to herself. "Do you?" she blurted out the question that had been on her mind the entire week. 

Calypso made a humorous noise in the back of her throat. "Well, I wouldn't say I like him. But he's cute, nice, and," she sighed. "Very clearly has feelings for someone else." 

It was like someone had taken a bell and struck in inside Annabeth's brain. Calypso's words reverberated like a horrible chorus. 

"I..." Annabeth was bewildered. She couldn't exactly demand as to why he hadn't told her. But she still thought they were close enough at this point that he could confide in her. 

Hell, they'd spent most afternoons this week together at Walter's, couldn't he have at least broached the topic?

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled, but she could feel Calypso's disbelieving gaze on her. 

Suddenly it changed. Calypso's eyes widened as she nudged Annabeth's leg under the table. "Hot, blonde guy, coming up behind you." 

Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows. What?

"Hey, Annabeth, Calypso." None other than Luke Castellan, all blinding smiles and shaggy hair, slid into the seat between the two girls, winking at Calypso, who seemed surprised by his boldness. 

"Luke," Annabeth said, surprised. "What's up?" She was pretty good friends with him — though nowhere as close as she was to her usual circle — from middle school, but they'd kind of drifted apart after he started hanging out with Matt Sloan. 

She used to have the biggest crush on Luke. The kind that made her stutter and blush uncontrollably. Obviously, she'd gotten over it. Mostly because she'd known that he'd never go for someone like her. 

"Well, I've been trying to catch you alone for a while," Luke admitted, a light flush coating his cheeks as he looked down embarrassedly. "But you're always with your friends." 

Annabeth laughed. "Yeah, they're pretty much glued to me at this point." She braced herself for the questions about copying homework, the "no" already present on her lips before he'd even asked the question. 

Luke ran a hand through his hair, seemingly working himself up to something. "I was wondering if you were free tomorrow night?" 

Annabeth blinked once. Twice. Thrice. 

The seconds of silence were her mind leaping into overdrive and trying to keep her jaw from dropping. 

"Like, on a date?" was the least intelligent thing that could've burst from her lips, but still, it did. 

Luke chuckled. "Yes, on a date." When she still didn't answer and practically gaped at him, Luke searched her features expectantly. "A date. As in, what two people do before they start a relationship?" 

Annabeth shook her head frantically out of her reverie. "Right, no, yeah, I got that, yeah," she stammered. "Y-you're asking me out?" 

"Y'know, for someone so smart, you sure take a while to understand a simple sentence," Luke said, his eyes sparkling humorously. 

That made her roll her eyes. "Alright, calm down, I haven't said "yes" yet," Annabeth reminded him. 

"Does that mean you're saying "yes"?" Luke said hopefully. 

Annabeth could feel Calypso staring at her with disbelief. There was definitely something the other girl hadn't mentioned. 

Should she say "yes"? She kind of owed it to the girl she'd been two years ago. This had kind of been her dream at the time. Besides, Luke was someone she actually got along well with, and she wasn't exactly on the lookout for anyone else. 

As if on cue, her friends walked into the cafeteria, goofing around aimlessly. Annabeth's gaze instantly snapped to Percy's figure, the windswept hair and green eyes that portrayed so much emotion. 

Immediately, Annabeth chided herself. Why was she thinking about Percy? He liked someone else — Calypso had been very clear on that. And most importantly, she didn't like him. 

"Yeah," Annabeth breathed, the decision registering itself in her mind with a one-second lag. "I-I'll see you tomorrow then." 

Luke seemed to deflate with relief. "Oh, thank goodness. I don't think a second has ever felt that long before." As he clambered out of the seat, Luke leaned down to peck her on the cheek. Annabeth felt her face grow hot as she pointedly ignored her friends looking over at them. "I'll text you." 

As he walked away, Annabeth turned to Calypso with an astonished expression. "I didn't hallucinate that, right? Luke was here?" 

Calypso was sending her mixed signals of both confusion and shock. "Yeah, definitely not your imagination." 

Annabeth buried her face in her hands, a small smile growing on her face. The old her, deep down, was ready to race home and start planning what to wear. 

A loud clanging noise alerted Annabeth to Piper and Hazel's arrival at the table. "Did Luke Castellan just kiss you on the cheek?" Hazel demanded. 

Annabeth lowered her hand to give her friends a sheepish look. 

+++++

"I'm so happy for you," Helen sighed, handing the bomber jacket and a thin scarf to Annabeth. 

"I've been on dates before, you know that right?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow. 

Helen shrugged. "Well, yes, but nothing like this. You had the biggest crush on Luke." 

Annabeth's mouth fell open. "What?" Her voice shot up an octave. 

"Oh, honey, it was so obvious," Helen laughed. "You'd come home and gush about him every evening." When Annabeth went red with mortification, Helen assured her, "It was cute, don't worry." 

Annabeth sunk into the sofa. "Yeah, it is a little crazy that we're going out," she confessed. "The old me would gone insane." 

Helen raised an eyebrow. "The old you?" she echoed doubtfully. 

Annabeth glanced over at her. "What?" 

"Just that you're not the same person anymore," Helen reminded. "Do you even still like him?" 

Annabeth hesitated before replying. "I don't know." She really didn't. "I plan on finding out tonight," she admitted. 

"Oh, don't let me get you down," Helen said apologetically. "It's just...been a while since I've seen romance in action." 

Annabeth pulled a face. "Dad's been gone a while, huh." 

Helen swallowed. "Yeah, yeah, something like that." 

"Honestly, it's just because I always thought you and Percy would get together," Helen suggested. 

"Percy?" Annabeth snorted. "Why?" 

"Well, you hang out practically every day," Helen laughed. "You talk about him a lot. And, well, I spoke to Piper when she came to pick you up the other day." 

"Oh, Pipes," Annabeth hissed under her breath. 

"Did she have a point?" Helen asked. 

"I don't like Percy," Annabeth repeated. She'd said it so many times recently that it sounded almost bland to her ears. 

Helen gave her a pointed look. "How did he feel about you and Luke going out?" 

Annabeth paused. 

Her friends had all been strange today. It seemed like Calypso hadn't been the only one who questioned her decision to go out with Luke. 

When even Frank asked her about it, Annabeth had exploded and demanded to know why. Frank had admitted that he'd always been rooting for Percy and her to get together. 

And as for Percy, well he'd been acting especially weird all day. Something had changed between them recently. Annabeth didn't know what it was, but it was like the air was more charged, she actually felt her breath catch in her throat when she'd seen him come out of the swimming pool, and he hadn't been speaking to her as much as they usually did. 

At first, Annabeth had thought it was Calypso's fault. But after she'd made her peace with her on Thursday, Annabeth wasn't quite sure if she was imagining it all or Percy was actually being strange. 

He didn't seem to keen on the idea of Annabeth dating Luke. When she'd asked him for an explanation, Percy had told her about some disturbing locker room talk. 

Of course, she'd gotten mad at him for trying to bad-mouth her date, and accused him of believing rumours when they both knew that they shouldn't do that. 

They hadn't spoken since. 

"Fine," Annabeth replied blankly, looking away. 

Headlights pierced through the blinds as Luke pulled up into the driveway. 

Annabeth shoved Percy and all her internal conflict to the back of her mind. They could wait. Tonight, she was going to have fun. 

"Bye, Helen," Annabeth called as she hurried to the front gate, checking for her phone and wallet. 

As she slid into the passenger's seat and strapped in her seatbelt, Annabeth smiled at Luke. "Hey." 

The date was nice, and everything a first date should be. They joked around, reminisced about the old days, and made promises to catch up more often. When Luke asked about how her friends had reacted to this, Annabeth hastily covered up with a half-truth and changed the subject. 

He'd taken her to a cute American diner close by, and Annabeth had to admit that Luke cleaned up well. His button-up shirt and jeans were a combination to die for. 

"Do you have any plans for post-high school?" Luke asked. 

Annabeth shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it. I mean, I know that I'm definitely going to go to university. I haven't quite thought about what I want to major in or even start as a career, but maybe something in the business field." 

Once upon a time, Annabeth had wanted to be an architect. To build something permanent. But she'd become sort of disillusioned with the job. 

"I want to help people," Annabeth realised, thinking of the times she'd seen Percy bleeding on the ground. "People who can't really help themselves." She shook her head dismissively. "Look, it doesn't matter. I-it's stupid." 

"No, it's not," Luke reassured her. "Really, if anything, you're pretty inspiring." 

"Thanks," Annabeth laughed. "And what about you? Thinking about college?" 

Luke shrugged. "Well, I hope to. But the only thing that can probably get me there is a football scholarship, so I'll probably have to put more time into it next year. Maybe attend college in another state, just to get out and explore a little." 

"I get that," Annabeth told him. "But I'll probably stay within the country. I don't think I could survive being so far away from my family for so long." 

In the back of her mind, Annabeth noticed that by "my family", she'd been referring to Helen and her brothers. She hadn't seen her dad in over a week. 

"You have two brothers, right?" Luke guessed. 

Annabeth smiled. "You remember." 

"Of course," Luke insisted. "I used to play Legos with them while waiting for you before swimming classes." 

Annabeth almost choked on her spaghetti. "Oh my gosh, I'd forgotten about that." They used to attend swimming classes together early in middle school, and Annabeth had vivid memories of canon-balling into the pool beside him. 

"Has it really been that long?" Luke said in disbelief. 

As Annabeth made to answer, a sharp buzz in her pocket alerted her to the chime of her phone. 

"Oh, sorry, it's probably my mum," Annabeth interrupted apologetically. "Do you mind if I..." 

"No, no, go ahead," Luke assured her. 

Sending him a grateful look, Annabeth pulled her phone out and switched it on. 

There were two texts from Jason. 

Know you're on your date, but Percy's hurt. Gabe again. I think it's the worst one yet. 

We're at Piper's. We've got it under control, don't worry. 

Annabeth felt her heart plummet as a sickening gasp wracked her lungs. 

"A-are you okay?" Luke asked, alarmed. 

The rest of his words were a blur, as if she was underwater. Annabeth stumbled to her feet, clutching her phone as she desperately tried to formulate a comprehensible sentence. 

Percy was hurt. Badly, according to Jason. Feeling guilt wash over her, Annabeth recalled the last thing she'd said to him. 

They'd been fighting over her date with Luke. 

You judged him too quickly, Percy! Frankly, I should've done the same with you. Maybe I wouldn't be here right now. 

She hadn't stuck around long enough to see his reaction, but she'd seen him recoil almost instantly, hurt outlined on his face. 

"Annabeth," Luke shot his feet, looking at her worriedly. "You look like you've seen a..." He trailed off when he saw what must've been a horrified expression on her face. "What is it?" 

"I-I have to go," Annabeth stammered. "I'm so sorry, Luke," she wanted to smash her head into a wall. 

How could she have been so stupid? Going out on a date with Luke when she knew damn well that she'd choose Percy over anyone? 

"I can't do this," she confessed breathlessly. "I'm so sorry; I've wasted your time, and," she fished a few bills out of her purse. "Here, dinner's on me," she rushed. 

"Annabeth, what-what's going on?" Luke said, bewildered. 

Annabeth winced painfully. She had to get out of her. She had to see Percy. "I can't date you," she blurted out. Annabeth impatiently brushed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm sorry." 

Luke looked about as confused as could be. "Why? Did I do something?" He hurried afternoon her as she walked as quickly as she could out of the restaurant. 

"No, it wasn't you. It's me," Annabeth said, feeling like a horrible person. "It's Percy." She shook her head frantically. "I have to figure things out. I am so sorry, Luke, I-I shouldn't have done this." 

She hailed down a cab with one hand as she gave him a tight hug. 

"You'll find a better girl," Annabeth said firmly. "Who'll choose you over everyone else, but I just can't be that girl right now." 

"Annabeth, wait—"

Annabeth disappeared into the cab, stumbling over her words as she gave the driver Piper's address and told him to step on it. 

"I'm sorry, I'll explain everything later," Annabeth told Luke pleadingly as the cab sped off, leaving him in the dust. 

Annabeth's heart hammered against her chest to quickly that she thought it would break through. 

She would deal with Luke later, but right now — Percy. 

Just his name sent images of green eyes and a lopsided grin hurtling through her mind. It made her shiver to think that anyone would dream of hurting that. 

Percy made her smile. Made her laugh. Quite literally brightened up her day. 

She felt empty, almost helpless without him at her side, and she hated it. Annabeth had ignored her feelings for far too long, and it just clicked, like the simplest puzzles. 

And it was in that horrifying moment when Annabeth wondered, bewildered beyond belief, when exactly she'd fallen for Percy Jackson.


	20. It Was Always Percy, Wasn’t It?

Annabeth burst into Piper's living room like a whirlwind prepared to wreak havoc upon some very unfortunate souls. 

Jason, who was sitting on the couch, sprang to his feet, mouth agape as she blustered through, heart hammering and face pale, her eyes darting in every direction. 

"Annabeth?" Leo said in confusion as he stepped out of the kitchen, Calypso behind him. "But your date—"

"Where's Percy?" Annabeth demanded, her grey eyes narrowed as she did a quick visual sweep of the room. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Is he okay?" 

The desperation in her voice seeped through the cracks. She tried her best to swallow down the sudden urge to cry. 

"He's in the guest room," Jason said warily. "He's fine—"

Annabeth practically shoved her way past her friends, frantically hurrying up the steps. 

The car ride here had been a hell of an emotional rollercoaster. Worry, feverish crushes and bewilderment had ruled her thoughts as the cab zoomed through the streets, headlights piercing the darkness the only thing she was capable of focusing on. 

"Annabeth," Piper called worriedly. Annabeth could hear the other girl's footsteps as she followed suit. "What happened with Luke? What's going on—"

The door slammed open with a deafening "bang!" as Annabeth arrived breathlessly to the moment she's been anticipating for the last few minutes. Tension gripped her tightly and refused to let go. 

Percy was sitting on the bed, his back against the headboard and his face scrunched up torturously. 

Feeling her heart cleave in two, Annabeth ignored the throbbing in her chest as she stared at him. 

A thin sheen of perspiration on his tanned skin and clammy features told her just how bad it had gotten. Painful pants escaped his lips as Percy struggled to level his gaze upon her. 

One hand on the door frame and the other hanging helplessly, Annabeth took in a shuddering breath. 

One glance and Frank knew that he was way out of his limit. Annabeth was grateful when he left, taking Piper with him, leaving her alone with Percy. 

They needed to talk. 

As she shut the door behind her with a soft click, Annabeth blurted out, "I'm sorry." Her intentions of sounding decisive went down the drain when a hysterical half-sob escaped her and Annabeth slumped against the wall behind her. 

She wanted to slide to the ground and huddle into a foetal position, but Annabeth forced herself to remain standing. It was the only chance she had of not completely breaking down. 

"For what I said," Annabeth continued forlornly. "And for arguing with you." She paused, clenching her hands into a fist when she read into the hurt in his eyes. "It was stupid. I-I was stupid." 

There were moments of silence that dragged on for eternities before Percy shifted and the creaking of the bed interrupted the charged atmosphere. 

"We both were," Percy said quietly. He discreetly picked at the bedsheet. "I'm sorry I ruined your date." 

Annabeth shook her head with a mirthless laugh. "You didn't. I broke it off with Luke." 

Even as she carefully avoided his gaze, studying the floor underneath her shoes, Annabeth could feel the astonishment turned on her and the million questions that followed in his head. 

"You did?" Percy asked uncertainly. 

Annabeth looked at him, hoping the aching longing wasn't as obvious as she felt it was. "Of course, I did," she said firmly. 

It was always Percy, wasn't it? 

She eyed his injuries tentatively. "What happened?" 

Percy winced. "Wouldn't do you any good to know the details. But I've got a bloody nose and possibly a fractured rib." 

Feeling her mouth fall open, Annabeth spluttered first a few seconds before she exploded, "You need a hospital!" 

Almost instantly, she knew the mantra he'd drilled into her head. 

"Right," she held up a hand. "No hospital." Annabeth allowed herself a moment of unperturbed calm where she squeezed her eyes shut so tightly that stars soared before them. 

"It'll be fine," Percy tried. "It'll take a couple of weeks to heal, and Frank and Jason said they'd help me cover in football." 

"A couple of weeks?" Annabeth snorted. "Now, who's expert health advice was that?" 

Percy gave her a sheepish look she'd come to know like the back of her hand in the last few months. "Google's." 

Annabeth struggles not to audibly acknowledge the rest of the damage. Dark bruises littered his body; the most prominent one of his cheekbone. 

In a flash, Annabeth was standing by his bed, her arms wrapped around him in a reassuring hug, though it was unclear as to whether the hug was for him or for her. 

"Sorry," she mumbled. For how weird it's been lately. For being a crappy friend. For Brady. For Luke. For Gabe. For how sucky your life is. 

It went unsaid, but the words hung in the air between them, and Annabeth knew that he understood it all. That was the beauty of their friendship. Communication was as simple as breathing, even when unspoken. 

In that moment, Annabeth knew that her feelings would have to be kept under wraps. There was no way she could risk this — risk Percy. He meant too much to her and in the span of a few months had become one of her closest confidentes. 

To try at a relationship was to accept the possibility of failure. And if that meant that one day she wouldn't be able to be here doing this, then Annabeth knew it wasn't something she would even consider doing. 

"So, no Luke, huh?" Percy said curiously. 

Annabeth shrugged, pulling on a mask of nonchalance. "What can I say? Sometimes things don't work out the way you want it too." The sincerity of the words reverberated in her mind, hitting far too close to home than she would've liked. 

She shuffled onto the bed, her right side shoulder touching his as she leaned back against the headboard and stared up at the ceiling. There wasn't anything she could think of saying, and it was freaking her out. 

Since when did she get flustered around Percy? Her cheeks flushed unconsciously when Annabeth suddenly noticed that he was shirtless, bandages wrapped around his torso as he picked at his trousers, apparently experiencing the same awkward dilemma as she was. 

"So how're you gonna get home tonight?" Annabeth broke into the quiet. 

Percy pulled a face. "No idea. Might just tell my mum that I was out with friends. If she notices the bruises I'll say someone tried to mug us." 

Annabeth snorted. "That's believable." 

"Do you have any ideas?" Percy whined, but it was friendly. 

Practically snuggled up on a bed side by side, Annabeth found herself rambling to Percy about everything and anything in her life. And he returned the favour. 

Even as he spoke, the main thoughts running through Annabeth's mind weren't about that. 

What the hell am I going to tell Piper? She'll never let me live this down, Annabeth realised with an internal groan. And Drew? And Rachel? Oh my God, everyone is going to hate me so much. Oh, Luke! 

With the urge to kick herself, Annabeth made a mental note in the back of her mind to text him an explanation. She felt terrible about her abrupt disappearance; he had to be so confused. 

Amongst all the anxiety, there was also a part of her that she hated that fluttered at simply being in the same room as Percy. Somehow, he was more prominent to her. His goofy grin, his green eyes, and the way they danced with a permanent mischievousness. 

Neither of them realised the time until Piper came knocking on their door, wearing a bemused expression that Annabeth pointedly ignored. 

"Take out's here," Piper announced. "Japanese. We got some for you too, Annabeth." She eyed her friend. "Figured you skipped dinner." 

Annabeth blushed embarrassed. "Yeah, I-I kind of ran out on him." She leaned over giving Percy a once-over. 

As he started struggling to get up, Annabeth stifled a laugh. "Do you need some help?" 

Percy opened his mouth, adamant to refuse, but Piper stalked over and hauled him up with Annabeth's help before he could even begin. 

The living room was a bustling hub of activity. All her friends were there, save for Leo and Calypso, crowded around the coffee table with bowls of ramen and boxes of sushi. 

After Percy had settled down, Annabeth set down her bag and pulled her phone out of it, walking away until she was out of earshot. 

Taking a deep breath to brace herself, Annabeth winced as she dialled Luke's phone. 

"Hello?" came his weary voice. 

"Hey," Annabeth said sheepishly. 

"You sound calmer." 

Annabeth blushed. "Yeah, sorry about that earlier." She exhaled slowly. "Listen, Luke, I'm sorry I was in a rush earlier." 

"Because of Percy?" 

"Family stuff," Annabeth lied. "It was important." 

Another pause. 

"Did you mean what you said?" Luke asked. "About not being able to go out with me?" 

Annabeth ran a hand through her hair, eyes glancing back at where her friends were in the living room. Jason caught her eye and beckoned her over. 

Luke, she mouthed, and he nodded understandingly. 

"I did," Annabeth sighed. "Again, sorry. I should never have gone out with you in the first place. It's unfair to you." She hesitated. "I kind of have feelings for someone else." 

"I figured as much." 

"Maybe if you'd asked me two years ago," Annabeth protested. "But now, something's changed. I don't think about you like that anymore." 

"It's okay," Luke assured her. "Don't worry about it." 

Annabeth smiled, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Thanks for being so understanding about this. At least now we can be friends." 

"Yeah," Luke still sounded a little distant. Annabeth was glad she'd ended it before she had to hurt him. 

Just as she made to hang up, Luke interrupted, "I hope you get the guy, Annabeth." 

Annabeth looked down at her feet, the corner of her mouth quirking up. They bade short farewells before hanging up, and Annabeth stepped into the kitchen to regain her composure alone. 

When she stepped through the door, Annabeth was faced with Leo and Calypso locking lips, springing apart like one of them had the plague as soon as she walked in. 

Leo and Calypso. Kissing. 

"What?" Annabeth almost shrieked when her brain processed the image in front of her. 

Both of them were red as beets and seemed at a loss for words. 

Annabeth crossed her arms and glared at Leo. "Care to explain?" 

"We're dating," Leo confessed. "It's only been for a few days." 

"How could you not tell me?" Annabeth demanded. "Leo, we had a pact!" 

"Sorry," he apologised as he flushed a dark red. "We weren't sure how everyone would feel about it." 

"We should probably tell the others," Calypso admitted. 

Annabeth found herself still reeling. She had not thought in a million years that Leo was Calypso's type. 

But after they told her other friends about their secret relationship, and sat down to chat and laugh, Annabeth could see why. Leo made Calypso laugh, and she kept him in check with his easy distractions and affinity for rambling. 

In her opinion, it was a brilliant thing too. Frank was much more relaxed around Leo; this was probably the final confirmation that Leo wasn't going after Hazel. 

And it made it easier to talk to Calypso. All the unaccounted jealousy she had been feeling disappeared without a trace. Calypso was nice, funny, and trustworthy, seeing as Percy had decided to let her in on the "Gabe" secret. 

She also genuinely liked Leo, which was always a bonus point in Annabeth's eyes. 

It was late into the night when Annabeth arrived home, Helen giving her raised eyebrows as she stepped inside. 

"That was Jason's car," Helen said pointedly. 

Annabeth blushed. "Yeah, tonight didn't really go as planned."


	21. Dodgeball

Annabeth's lower lip dropped as she gaped, Hazel's voice drowning into background noise. 

"One moment," she muttered through gritted teeth, marching up to a certain Percy Jackson and pulling him by the shirt into an empty corridor. She slammed him against the wall before stepping back and crossing her arms. 

"What the hell is this?" Annabeth said breathlessly, glaring pointedly at his sheepish expression. She gestured to the cut on Percy's right cheek. "Explain." 

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Good morning to you too." 

Realising how closely they were standing, Annabeth felt the blood rush to her cheeks, and she retreated hastily. 

"I told him to stop," Percy admitted. "He wasn't even that angry, but after that..." He shrugged. 

Annabeth shook her head. "He's getting more violent," she insisted. "A cracked rib might soon be the least of your worries." 

He was significantly better than on Friday, and the rib seemed to have healed up enough for him to move around normally. 

"I didn't think it was important enough to call you," Percy explained, pointing at the cut. "I cleaned it up myself." 

"These kind of things are always important," Annabeth said firmly. "Can't you stay away from the house? Stay with Frank?" 

"I can't abandon my mum," Percy said exasperatedly. "She'd be alone with him—"

"Well, isn't this lovely?" 

Drew's abrupt interruption forced Percy and Annabeth to spring apart instinctively. 

Annabeth averted her gaze as Percy pointedly studied the tiled pattern on the floor. 

She scowled. "What do you want, Drew?" 

"Calypso's leaving next week," Drew sniffled disdainfully. "I'm just making sure that Percy doesn't return to..." Her gaze raked painfully from Annabeth's head to her feet. "...old habits." 

As her vision tinged red, Annabeth nearly lunged at the other girl before she felt Percy grasp her wrist and tug her back. 

"I'm going to kill her," Annabeth murmured as Drew rejoined the rest of her friends. 

"Then you'd go to jail," Percy pointed out. "And I'd never see you anymore. So let's not do that." He relaxed his grip and pulled his hand away from Annabeth's. 

The first bell of the day sounded, and Annabeth pulled a face. "See you at lunch, I guess." 

She barely had any classes with Percy, which used to be a blessing, but had since turned into a disappointment. 

+++++

The hands on the clock went round in a blur, and before Percy knew it, it was the end of the day. 

Coach Hedge had looked ready to murder someone when Percy relayed that he'd fallen off his bike and cracked a rib. 

"You can go over the plays in the bleachers," Hedge grumbled in response. "Bah, teenagers are so fragile these days." 

Percy sat on the bench in the locker room as he waited impatiently for the rest of his teammates to get dressed. 

"She broke up with you?" 

It wasn't like Percy was trying to eavesdrop, but Matt Sloan and Luke were speaking loudly enough for the entire team. 

"Yeah, rushed off in a hurry," Luke replied forlornly. "Wouldn't say why." 

Percy caught Jason's eye. The other boy's gaze flickered to Luke and Matt, eyeing them suspiciously. They were clearly talking about Annabeth. 

"Did she at least give you a reason for breaking it off?" Matt demanded. "Couldn't you have rescheduled the date?" 

"She gave some crappy excuse," Luke explained. "Said she had feelings for someone else. She didn't say who, but she mentioned Jackson." 

Percy felt like time simply stopped moving. The pen he was fiddling with accidentally rolled out of his hand and clinked to the ground deafeningly. 

He winced as he snatched it up discreetly, avoiding Luke's judgemental gaze. 

"Bet you're glad about that, huh," Matt snarled, spinning to loom over Percy. "Stealing his girl." 

Percy slid off the bench and backed away. "Woah, I didn't do anything—"

"My ass," Matt growled, ignoring Luke's half-hearted attempts to stop him. 

"Hey, back off," Jason interjected, leaning against the lockers on the right as he glared at Matt. Percy had never been so grateful for Jason and Frank having his back. "It's not his fault." 

Matt sneered. "Look at you," he mocked Percy. "Defending your boyfriend?" 

Jason snorted, slinging an arm across Percy's shoulders. "What's your point? I'd be honoured to be Percy's boyfriend." 

A grin broke across Percy's face as he turned around, walking out of the room and away from Sloan. 

As they crossed the pitch, Percy tried his best to remain nonchalant. "What do you think Luke meant?" He blushed when Jason and Frank exchanged knowing looks. 

"About Annabeth breaking up with him for you?" Jason raised an eyebrow. 

Percy stared pointedly at the ground as he kicked around a fallen fruit. "Um, amongst other things." 

"Any specific reason why you care?" Frank prodded, stifling a smile. 

Percy shook his head, still refusing to meet their eyes. 

Jason started slowly, "Well, I could ask her, tell her you want to know." 

"No!" Percy yelped hastily. Annabeth was smart enough to realise his feelings in a split second, and that would just ruin everything. "Nevermind," he amended. "It doesn't matter." 

Ignoring his friends' curious looks burning into the back of his neck, Percy sat down on the bench, his thoughts occupied by just about 

+++++

It was a busy week. The next time Percy really got to talk to Annabeth alone was Thursday morning. Being the only two people amongst their friends who took AP Biology, Percy glanced at the clock every few seconds, then at the door, keeping an eye out for her. 

At 23 seconds past 8 o'clock, Annabeth strode into class, flashing him a blinding smile as she slid into the seat next to him. 

"'Morning," she sang, pulling out her stationery and setting it out on her table. Annabeth has always been more organised than anyone else in terms of her desk. But Percy had seen her bedroom, and it was safe to say that she wasn't neat in much else. 

Annabeth always insisted it was because she was too busy, but Percy personally thought it was because her brain moved too quickly for her hands to actually execute the actions. 

She might start cleaning, but move on to doing an English essay within moments. It was one of his favourite things about her. 

The first few minutes of the class were duller than Percy expected, but he perked up when the teacher mentioned the paired project they were to do on DNA mutation. 

"Do I even have to ask?" Annabeth whispered to him. 

Percy hummed, feigning thoughtfulness. "Yeah, I was thinking of getting Kelli to pair with me, actually." 

Annabeth nearly choked. "Dick," she muttered. 

The last lesson of the day was gym, and when Annabeth walked in, blonde ponytail and competitive grey eyes, Percy found himself wondering if she knew how gorgeous she actually was. 

He knew he probably looked like one of the love-struck characters in cartoons, but at this point, he really didn't care. 

When they gathered round to listen to Coach Hedge, Percy was broken out of his thoughts by Rachel elbowing him in the side. 

"You're staring," Rachel whispered, gesturing to Annabeth, which only made him blush more. 

"Zoned out," Percy lied through his teeth, ducking his head to hide his reddening cheeks. 

Rain was pouring down outside, effectively cancelling any outdoor sport. 

"Kids," Coach Hedge barked. "You'll be glad to hear that today's gym lesson will be more entertaining than usual." 

Percy shuffled his weight onto either foot repeatedly as he grew warier of the smug glint in the coach's eyes by the second. 

"Coach, are we playing dodgeball?" one of the students behind Percy called out. 

Coach Hedge glared at them. "Thank you, for ruining my great reveal. Kids these days have no respect for your elders." He coughed gruffly. "Yes, today's lesson will be made up of fun dodgeball matches, alright, walk up in a single file here so I can separate you into two teams..." 

Excited chatter overwhelmed the hall as everyone shuffled into place. In his three years of high school, Percy could count on both hands the total number of times they'd played dodgeball.

It was hilarious and fun to play, but since it wasn't actually a sport, they only played it if there were no other options, or if they had a nice substitute teacher. 

Coach Hedge mixed it up while separating the year, so friends who had been strategically placed to be on the same team were unsuccessful. 

"Over there, Jackson," Coach Hedge said gruffly. "Try not to crack another rib." 

Percy felt dismay swell in his chest as he was hustled towards Kelli and Drew, throwing a silent cry for help behind to Leo, who was too busy stifling snorts. 

Have fun, the Latino boy mouthed. 

Resisting the urge to flip him off, Percy approached his team, trying to push any reservations off his mind. 

"Okay!" he said eagerly. "We've got this!" As he did a quick scan of his teammates, Percy spotted Travis, Beckendorf and Clarisse. The latter looked especially prepared to grind the other team to dust. 

Throwing a glance over his shoulder, Percy felt his shoulders droop slightly when he saw that Annabeth was sent over to the other team. 

"You look like a kicked puppy," Calypso declared as she strode over to him, Jason and Piper on her heels. 

"Understatement of the year," Rachel added. 

Percy cleared his throat, making it a point to ignore both of their comments. 

"I think we have a pretty good chance," Beckendorf remarked. 

Clarisse smirked as she cracked her knuckles audibly. "Please, we'll crush them." 

"Don't be too sure," Piper warned. She gestured to the other team, who was enclosed in a huddle. "Nancy's a menace, Luke and Matt throw hard, and don't even get me started on Annabeth." 

Percy pulled a face. He had vivid memories of one time last year when Annabeth had thrown the ball too hard and sent Silena to the nurse. 

"Are we taking this too seriously?" Jason broached tentatively. "I mean, it's just dodgeball." He was simultaneously faced with pairs of incredulous eyes. "I'm sorry," he quickly amended. "Sorry. Geez." 

"Get on the court, slowpokes," Coach Hedge yelled. "We have a half hour for three matches; try not to injure anyone else, Chase." 

Annabeth raised a hand in apology, earning chuckles from the other students. 

As the whistle went off, Percy scrambled forward to grab one of the ten balls at the centre line, instantly knocking Katie Gardner our as he hit her in the right calf. 

Narrowly missing one of Reyna's shots, Percy retreated back to his friends, his gaze flickering to the side of the court. Piper was out; caught by Annabeth's first strike. 

The first match was over quickly, as everyone struggled to get the hang of the rules. If you caught the ball, the person who threw it was out. If you deflected with your hands, you were still in. And obviously, if it hit you anywhere else, you were out. 

Annabeth's team won the first match. Percy didn't have time to keep up with all the ongoing activity, but he was out before half of his team, hit by Hazel in a moment of distraction. 

The second round was a closer call. Percy couldn't help grinning when he heard Jason's triumphant shout when he got Annabeth by the arm towards the end of the game. 

By the final round, tensions were high. Percy told himself to ignore how attractive the competitive sparkle in Annabeth's eyes was and focus on the match. 

Beckendorf was out first. Silena had thrown a ball that got the back of his head when he was dodging another hit. Frank got Travis, but was then knocked out by Kelli's mean lob. 

One by one, each team was reduced to smaller and smaller numbers. They were three minutes till the end of the game, with six people on either side. 

Percy did a mental head count. Annabeth, Hazel, Matt, Luke, Nancy and Reyna were on the opposing side. Oh his team, Percy had Drew, Jason, Piper, Clarisse and Calypso. 

"Okay, too slow for my liking," the coach insisted as he rearranged the cones to minimise the court space. 

Percy came dangerously close to one of Annabeth's throws, which he returned in kind, though she dodged, causing the ball to hit Nancy Bobofit in the thigh. 

Feigning remorse, Percy gave himself a mental high-five after all those years in middle school when she'd bullied him. 

Calypso was out — Reyna's handiwork — but so was Hazel. 

Percy sprinted across the court to grab a ball that was rolling away, twisting as best as he could to nail Matt Sloan in the shoulder. The resulting "ow!" gave Percy a sense of retribution. 

He backed away to stand with Jason, Clarisse and Drew — Annabeth had gotten Piper out again. Annabeth, Luke and Reyna stood on the other side. 

Percy tried to ignore Annabeth's adrenaline-fuelled grin as she sized them up, weighing a ball in her right hand. 

Watching her gaze land on Drew, Percy yanked her out of the way, but Annabeth grabbed another ball from Jason and pitched with her best shot. 

Drew let out an indignant yelp when Annabeth nailed her in the head, glaring at the blonde girl as she walked off the court angrily. 

"Sorry," Annabeth called out, almost wickedly. Percy could almost hear her silent laughter. 

Luke tossed a ball at him, which Percy promptly caught, but not before Luke hit Jason in the upper arm. 

They were down to just two on each team. 

"If we were giving our team names," Clarisse muttered under her breath as she returned to his side. "They would be called 'Percy's exes'." 

Without even taking his eyes off of them, Percy responded, "I hate you so much." 

Clarisse threw her ball mid-laugh, catching Reyna on the hip. Percy high-fived her as his teammates in the bleachers cheered. 

Percy and Clarisse danced dangerously around Annabeth's carefully aimed shots. Of course, about thirty seconds to the end of the game, Clarisse stumbled and was promptly attacked by Annabeth's double-throw. 

Both balls pelted her instantly, sending a grumbling Clarisse off. 

Percy picked up one of the balls, eyeing Annabeth cautiously. 

She grinned at him, waving in an almost comical fashion. It garnered a laugh as he waved back good-naturedly. "Hi," he called across the court. "How're you doing?" 

"Awesome," Annabeth replied cheerily. "I'm about to beat some guy at dodgeball." 

She winked at him. 

Whatever her tactic was, it worked, because Percy was practically frozen in place as Annabeth threw the ball into his chest. 

It collided with horrified "NO"s from his teammates and elated cheers from Annabeth's side.


	22. Say Goodbye

"To Calypso!" Piper declared, popping open the bottle of fizzy grape juice. 

The cork flew into her pool, floating away with the ripples. As Piper poured glasses for everyone, the gang started readying themselves to dive in. 

It was Calypso's farewell party early in the evening on Thursday, seeing as she was leaving right after school the next day. 

"I'm excited to go back to England," Calypso admitted. "But I'll never forget you guys. If I'm ever in the country—"

"Call us up immediately," Hazel enunciated for emphasis. She was disappointed to have to live with the other girl again, having only her half-brother for company. 

As hugs and chatter were exchanged, Annabeth glanced to where Percy was sitting on one of Piper's beach chairs beside Jason. 

In one smooth move, Percy tugged his shirt off. 

Annabeth unconsciously clenched her hands together till her knuckles turned white.

"Jesus Christ," she muttered under her breath. 

Of course, she knew Percy was a swimmer and an athlete, but she'd never really seen him...half-naked. 

"You just licked your lips," Leo snickered. 

"Shut up," Annabeth said hotly, turning her head away as Percy looked up at her. 

Percy was gorgeous. Obviously, somewhere in the back of Annabeth's mind, she'd always known it. But she didn't really register it until now. 

He was deliciously tanned and muscular in a lean, lanky way, and Annabeth had to practically swallow down a dreamy sigh. 

"Aren't you glad I made you wear your navy blue bikini?" Piper murmured. 

Annabeth glared at her, though she slipped her white dress off, tossing it to the side as she walked up to the pool. 

Dipping a foot inside tentatively, Annabeth yelped as the cold water lapped up to her ankle. 

"How mad would you be—"

The voice so close to her nearly caused her to stumble into the pool, but Percy caught her by the arm. 

Annabeth desperately tried to keep herself from blushing. There were a minimal number of items of clothing they were wearing. And he was awfully close. 

"—if I pushed you in," Percy finished, shooting her a devilish grin as he released her arm. 

Leaping away from the pool, Annabeth glared at him. "Don't even think about it." She had barely finished her sentence before Percy canon-balled into the water, a massive wave dousing her from head to toe. 

Annabeth felt herself shivering madly as her mouth fell open indignantly. "You dickhead!" 

Percy reached out an arm, feigning innocence. "Help me up?" 

She snorted. "Please, that's the oldest trick in the book. You're crazy if you think I'd—" She cut herself off with an abrupt yell as Jason shoved her from behind. 

When Annabeth surfaced, spluttering curses and threats, she was drenched again with Percy splashing water over her. 

"I'm gonna kill you," she said menacingly, advancing into him, paddling as best as she could without her top falling off. 

That would be pretty embarrassing.

+++++

"I'm gonna miss you all so much," Calypso said miserably. 

It was the end of the following Friday's lessons, which coincidentally marked the end of Calypso's American adventure. 

Annabeth and her friends were gathered under the shelter of the waiting area to avoid the pouring rain. The country had been in a sort of wet season the last week. It had been raining cats and dogs every afternoon. 

As Calypso arrived at Annabeth, she gave her a stern look and an order to "text her as often as possible". Annabeth hugged her tightly, feeling sadness tugging at her heart. 

She really was going to miss Calypso. They might not have gotten off on the right foot, but Annabeth had grown to enjoy her company. 

"Keep me updated," Calypso whispered as she stepped away from the hug. Her gaze flickered to Percy and back to Annabeth meaningfully, giving her a pointed look. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes but obliged. 

The rest of them shuffled back as Leo, sheltering Calypso and himself under an umbrella, started a slow walk to the bus. 

"I feel so bad for them," Hazel murmured. "Imagine not being able to have the one person you want." 

Annabeth averted her gaze, feeling Percy's presence like a thorn in her side. Really, the irony of Hazel's words was hilarious. 

As Calypso and Leo exchanged their farewells and a heartfelt hug, she climbed onto the bus, waving at them through the window as the vehicle took off. 

"We'll see her again," Annabeth comforted Leo, slinging an arm across his shoulders. He visibly dropped with disappointment. 

Leo looked at her warily. "How can you be so sure?" 

Annabeth shrugged. "Trust me on this. Just a feeling." 

Another significant consequence of Calypso's departure was that it marked the beginning of the exams of junior year. 

All of Annabeth's teaching and Percy's determination boiled down to these two weeks. Annabeth didn't think she'd ever seen him this stressed in her entire life. 

Walking out of exams brought on both relief and panic for the following test, and it wasn't uncommon to find the two of them huddled in a corner, burying their noses in books and firing off rapid facts. 

Day 8 found Annabeth at Percy's doorstep, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for him to answer the door. 

They were planning to study for the third paper of maths, which was scheduled for the next morning, and the exam with the highest stakes for Percy. It was the subject he found the most difficult, but was extremely important and facilitating for majority of university courses. 

The revving of an engine spun Annabeth around as she spotted a Camaro pulling into the driveway. She frowned, not recognising the car. 

Her gaze flickered to the man sitting in the driver's seat — middle-aged, balding, unshaven — and promptly froze up. 

Gabe Ugliano. Percy's jerk of a stepfather. 

The impulsive half of her itched to give him a taste of her right hook. The sensible half told her to stay put and stay calm. 

The front door clicked open, Percy and Sally both appearing. Percy was pale, and they communicated in hushed tones. 

"You shouldn't have come," Percy whispered guiltily as he stepped onto the welcome mat, his body angled protectively. 

"I'll be fine," Annabeth hissed back. "Don't freak out. Just stay calm." 

Gabe climbed out of the car and sauntered up to them, his gaze raking over Annabeth from head to toe. She shuffled uncomfortably, every nerve in her body tingling to run. 

"Who's this?" he said gruffly, the unruly accent slipping off his tongue like second nature. 

Before Percy could answer, Annabeth stepped in front of him, piercing Gabe with a steely glare. "Annabeth Chase, Mr Ugliano. I tutor Percy." 

Annabeth could almost feel Percy's fear radiating off of him. 

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Gabe smiled, revealing rows of yellowed teeth. "I have a business trip in Atlantic City. Dropped by to pick up my stuff. Sally, did you pack it for me?" 

Business trip? Annabeth wanted to snort. My ass. 

Percy's mothered stiffened, though she didn't cower. "Not yet, Gabe. I'll get right to it." 

Gabe turned his gaze on Annabeth again. "Yes, we wouldn't want to embarrass ourselves in front of our...guest." He gestured to the door. "Please, come in." 

Annabeth's blood pounded in her ears with the adrenaline, but she plastered a smile on her face and obliged. 

"I'll tell him I need to walk you home," Percy murmured under his breath. 

"And risk angering him?" she responded softly. "He seems fine, and he's leaving soon. Wait it out, Percy." 

He gave her a wary look. 

"Trust me," she whispered, taking a seat on the couch. 

Even as they tried to look relaxed, Annabeth was anything but. Her eyes darted to Sally and Gabe, who stood by the fridge and spoke in quiet voices. 

She had a feeling that Gabe was unusually calm today for her sake. A calm before the storm, to Percy. 

"Annabeth," Gabe barked, making her jolt in her seat. "Want anything? A drink?" 

Percy looked ready to leap up and defend her honour, but Annabeth gripped his wrist, urging him to stay down. 

She flashed Gabe the pearly whites. "No, thank you." 

The five minutes between Gabe arriving and leaving felt like an eternity. Sally rushed around, desperate to get him out of the house before he could do anything to hurt Annabeth. 

Yeah, well, she could probably show him a few things. 

Only when the Camaro was out of sight did Percy deflate, burying his face in his hands. 

"Oh, Annabeth, I'm so sorry about that," Sally rambled apologetically. "My husband can be in a bad mood sometimes because of his work." The blatant lie made Annabeth wince, but since she technically wasn't supposed to know anything, she just smiled and nodded understandingly. 

People like Gabe Ugliano deserved to rot in jail. 

"So," Annabeth started once Sally was out of earshot. "That's Gabe, huh?" 

"I'm so sorry that happened," Percy said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"Hey, it's fine," she reassured him, nudging his shoulder with hers to lighten the mood. "C'mon, I knew what I was getting into. If me being here keeps you and Sally from being hurt, then I'll set up camp in your garden." 

That made him crack a smile, although Percy still wasn't convinced. 

Since studying was about as interesting as watching paint dry, four hours was all they accomplished before Percy got the TV working. 

"You have the oldest collection of movies I've ever seen," Annabeth complained as she shifted through the basket in the TV console table. "'Roman Holiday'? That was Helen's favourite movie when she was a kid. Back in the 1980s!" 

"They're classics," Percy protested defensively. 

Annabeth stifled a snigger as she flashed one of the cases at him. "'Finding Nemo'?" 

"Oh, that's Percy's favourite movie!" Sally exclaimed brightly as she passed through the living room with the laundry hamper. 

"Mum!" Percy burned red as he ducked his head to avoid Annabeth's amused gaze. 

"Sorry, honey!" 

"Okay, so I guess we're watching 'Finding Nemo'," Annabeth declared, inserting the disc. "I haven't watched a DVD in the longest time, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn't indulge you on this?" 

"A good one," Percy retorted. 

They climbed onto the couch, Annabeth using his jacket as a blanket. She draped it over her exposed legs to conserve warmth. 

The opening credits and music appeared on the screen, and Annabeth had to squint when the fish came out. "The resolution is abysmal." 

"I don't know what that word means," Percy informed her. "But 'Finding Nemo' is a masterpiece, and you didn't sound very impressed." 

"It's a Disney film, Percy," Annabeth emphasised. "The box literally says 'recommended for children'." 

"It's a work of art," he insisted obstinately. "Be warned, when they can't find him, it gets emotional."


	23. Tastes Like Coffee

"I feel like I can breathe again," Percy groaned, stumbling down the corridor by Annabeth's side. 

She rolled her eyes and righted him. "Don't be so melodramatic." Percy was right though. They'd just walked out of their final exam; Physics. 

"But then there's still results," Percy whined. "Hell isn't over yet." 

"You're bringing us down," Hazel complained. "I, for one, plan on getting hammered at Drew's tonight." 

Jason just stared at her with disbelief. "I can't believe I ever thought you were innocent." 

"Please," Percy snorted. "It's all a trick. She's the worst one of us all." 

Drew's party was in celebration of the end of exams, though Annabeth doubted her neighbours were quite happy about it. Pretty much everyone in their year had been invited, as well as some seniors who happened to show up. 

Somehow — Annabeth really had to discover these methods — there was alcohol. Kegs of beer and even a beer bong were available. 

Drew's house wasn't as large as Luke's, so people spilled onto the upper floors and the lawn, while the pulsing music deafened every corner of the residence. Disco lights illuminated the ground floor as overeager teenagers dominated the space. 

"Annabeth!" 

Annabeth scanned her surroundings for the owner of the voice. Jason appeared, waving madly as he moved towards her with someone in tow. 

"She came back early!" Jason raised his voice to be heard over the music. "Brought her along — again, I question it!" 

Annabeth's mouth dropped open as she saw Thalia standing behind him, saluting her as she went in for hugs. "Oh my God, I haven't seen you in forever!" 

Since Annabeth had always been close to Jason, she went over to his house a lot. She and Thalia, Jason's troublemaking older sister, bonded quickly and easily. It was sometimes ridiculous to think that she and Jason were related. 

Thalia was sent to a military boarding school on the west coast a few years ago, following an incident of school suspension relating to rude graffiti on the school's back wall. 

"Look at you, all grown up and pretty," Thalia taunted, smiling affectionately. "Jason's kept me updated on all the gossip, don't worry." 

"Oh no, don't tell me—"

"I never thought Percy Jackson was your type," Thalia interjected. Annabeth turned on Jason with an accusatory gaze, who just responded with a smug grin. 

"The scrawny boy with the green eyes, no?" Thalia guessed. 

Annabeth scratched the back of her head. "Well, actually—"

"Annabeth! Jason!" More choruses as the a few more of their friends — Percy and Leo — squeezed through the crowd. 

"Thalia!" Leo shouted excitedly, hugging his best friend's sister. "You're even scarier than usual!" 

"And you're looking skinnier than usual," Thalia responded cheerily. Her eyes widened fractionally when she saw Percy. "Wow, okay. Percy Jackson?" 

Annabeth resisted the urge to laugh as he waved at Thalia, seemingly confused. "That's Jason's sister, Thalia." 

"Oh, I remember you," Percy recalled. "You pushed me off the swings once." 

"Sorry," Thalia winced. "Water under the bridge?" She squinted at him. "Well, I remember you, but Jason failed to mention that you'd turned into the cover of Vogue magazine." 

"Thalia!" Jason yelped embarrassedly. 

Thalia winked at Annabeth suggestively. "I see why he's your type now." 

"Thalia!" Annabeth said hotly, her voice an octave higher than usual.

"Relax," Thalia insisted, rolling her eyes. "As hot as you might be, you're not my type, Jackson." 

Percy looked slightly lost for words. "Um...thanks?" 

Thalia's head snapped up as she looked across the room. "Is that Luke Castellan?" she said incredulously. "Wow, okay, Jason, we're going over to say 'hi' to him." 

Jason and Leo's protests were lost as Thalia dragged them off, disappearing into the throngs of people. 

Annabeth turned back to Percy, giving him an apologetic look. "Sorry, Thalia's a lot to take in." 

"I like her," Percy offered. "I still remember her beating up Matt when he bullied Jason in fifth grade." He proceeded to say something that was lost in the blaring music. 

"What?" Annabeth yelled, cupping a hand around her ear. 

Percy probably repeated whatever he said, but she still couldn't hear him, so before she could lose her courage, Annabeth grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd to the front entrance. 

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, releasing his hand and ignoring the tingles it sent up her arm. "Couldn't hear you." 

"God, it's loud in there," Percy pulled a face. "My ears are ringing." 

Annabeth paused. "Okay, this is gonna sound crazy, but do you wanna get out of here?" 

Percy looked stricken. "Together?" 

"You drove me, you idiot." 

"Oh, right," Percy chuckled nervously. "Um, yeah, sure. What do you want to do?" 

Annabeth wracked her brain. Okay, so some free time with the boy she liked. This was totally fine. Keep your cool, Annabeth. 

"There's a drive-in movie on Becker Street," Annabeth remembered. 

"If you think I'm about to watch a horror movie in the dark in a car at midnight, then you're insane." 

"No, it's 'The Lion King'," Annabeth snickered. "I know how much you love the Disney classics." 

He stared at her. "You're never gonna let me live that down are you." 

"No way in hell." 

+++++

"This is so much better than Drew's crappy party," Percy sighed happily, grabbing a handful of kernels from their shared popcorn bucket. 

On the way to the drive-in, they'd swung by the supermarket to pick up snacks, but it was still nighttime, and cold, at that. 

"We should've stopped for blankets," Annabeth groaned, shivering in her seat. "I can't believe the heat in your car doesn't work." 

"Hey, don't hate on the Prius."

"What do you do in winter, Percy? Become icicles or snowmen?" 

"I wear layers," he corrected her, ripping open the packet of Doritos. "Like a normal person." 

As she opened her mouth to argue back, Percy elbowed her and gestured to the screen. "Hey, hey, shush, the movie's starting." 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. 

They got through about three minutes before someone spoke again. 

"Do you think our friends will be mad at us?" Percy whispered out of the corner of his mouth. 

Annabeth snorted. "Oh, yeah. Piper's gonna murder us tomorrow." 

Percy winced. "Oh, crap, yeah, we've got lunch at hers, don't we?" 

Now it was Annabeth's turn to shush him as The Lion King's first song started playing. 

"By the way, I'll probably tear up when Mufasa dies," Percy whispered. "Just be warned." 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You never fail to surprise me, Percy." 

The Lion King was an absolute classic, but Percy found that he could barely focus on it. 

Annabeth was pressed up against his side tentatively, shivering. He could feel the tremors as her teeth chattered softly. 

"Okay, you're annoying me," Percy said as an excuse, shrugging his jacket off and passing it to her. 

Annabeth glanced up at him in surprise. "Are you sure? Won't you be cold?" 

"I'm used to it," Percy reassured her. "My car, remember?" 

So they sat there, leaning against one another, with Annabeth wearing his jacket. Percy felt his heart start to palpitate more quickly when her hand shifted to knock against his. 

Percy had to make a conscious effort not to stiffen, fighting against his inner voice freaking out. But neither of them moved. 

Half of the movie saw Percy trying to focus on the screen and not Annabeth. The way the moonlight reflected off her hair and made her blonde curls shimmer like a waterfall. How her grey eyes twinkled with a brilliance Percy was in awe of. 

He had to constantly stop himself from staring at her for too long before she noticed. 

Percy hated to even entertain the prospect that she might like him back, because he'd probably just be horribly disappointed, but did she? 

The drive-in movie, sitting alone, was it possible that she might feel the same way? 

Percy could feel his heart leap at the small flame of hope, but it sunk dishearteningly when he realised it probably wasn't true. She'd dated both Brady and Luke after they'd become friends. If that didn't scream that she didn't like him then he didn't know what did. 

+++++

Annabeth peered out the window as Percy pulled up in their street. "It's round this corner, isn't it?" 

The wipers tried to push the pouring rain from the windscreen, but failed spectacularly. June wasn't supposed to be this rainy, or this cold, but, well, global warming. 

After the movie and the sudden downpour, Percy had suggested they go to Walter's for a little bit. 

"It's impossible to see," Percy grumbled. "I'll have to leave the car here and come back for it tomorrow." 

"And walk home in this?" Annabeth snorted. "We'll be soaked through like dogs."

"There is such a thing as an umbrella, y'know," Percy informed her as he carefully pulled into the lot. "I mean, I thought you were smart, Annabeth." 

"Oh, shut up." 

Annabeth reached back to grab the umbrella off the floor, and got out of the car first, hurrying to Percy's side. As she sheltered the both of them, they rushed inside the café hopping across puddles to keep themselves from getting wet. 

The bells chimed as Annabeth stepped through first, closing the umbrella and shaking it out. Placing it inside the stand, she waved good-naturally at Walter, who was working late today, and waved back. 

"The usual?" Walter guessed. 

"Nothing for me, actually," Annabeth called. "I plan to sleep after this for a very long time." 

They flopped into their usual seats, Annabeth resting her head on the table tiredly. 

"What a night," Percy reflected. She hummed in agreement. "Wonder how it's going at Drew's." 

Annabeth pulled out her phone, flicking through the replies Piper had bombarded her with to her message about leaving with Percy. 

is it finally happening? 

oh my god i knew it, i knew it, i knew it

please tell me everything tomorrow 

use protection 

Annabeth felt her cheeks heat up as she hastily set down her phone. "Yeah, Piper's, uh, fine." 

She hadn't even glanced at her phone the whole way here, too busy mulling over the movie. The hours had been filled with her restraining herself from looking over at him. She could've sworn she felt his gaze boring into her, but every time she even peeked, he was staring at the screen. 

Annabeth was also still wearing his jacket, which, while she hated to admit, was warm and smelled nice. 

"You're not going to be able to sleep," Annbeth deadpanned, seeing the mug of black coffee a waiter set down in front of Percy. 

"Psh, sleep is overrated," Percy said with a wink, sipping from his cup. 

It took Percy about three minutes to finish his coffee, which was when Annabeth suggested he enter a contest. 

Percy insisted on walking her home, and for once in her life, Annabeth obliged. Her heart was already thumping madly, but it pained her to know that this was probably the first and last time they'd ever do something like this. 

An almost-date. 

Yeah, she could dream. 

She didn't want it to end just yet. 

Walking with Percy made the butterflies flutter wildly in her stomach, because she was practically clinging onto him just to be fit under the same umbrella. 

"I had fun tonight," Annabeth said absently, seeing her house come into view. Her heart sank. But really, what had she expected to happen? 

"Me too," Percy echoed, coming to a stop on the street in front of her house. 

"Well," Annabeth said half-heartedly. "This is me." 

She turned to face him, and for a moment, they simply gazed at each other, reaching for the words to say goodbye. 

Annabeth could feel his hot breaths fanning on her, and she swallowed, knowing that they were barely half an inch apart. Her eyelids fluttered as she raised her chin to look up at him, her blood pounding in her ears from the adrenaline. 

"I should go." Even as she said it, Annabeth knew she desperately wanted to stay. 

Do it, every nerve in her body screamed at her. 

For once in her life, Annabeth decided to take a chance and listen. 

Annabeth took a step forward and smashed her lips against Percy's, eliciting a surprised gasp. His free hand circled around her waist to pull her closer, forcing a groan to leave her lips. 

Annabeth was kissing him. Kissing Percy. 

Everyone said that kissing someone was like fireworks exploding in their heads, like their world burst into colour. 

Her hands reached to clasp around his neck as Annabeth felt herself tilted backwards, moving against Percy like they were two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. 

And the kiss? 

Well, it tasted like coffee.


	24. Pancake Saturday

Her heartbeat in her ears, Annabeth found herself gazing right into Percy's eyes as they drew apart, still just close enough to touch. 

It was like staring into the ocean, all churning waves and undiscovered crevices. 

Then the image of Percy's shocked expression when she'd first kissed him ricocheted through Annabeth's mind, sending her world crashing down. 

No, no, what had she done? 

"I'm so sorry," Annabeth blurted out, stepping away from him and covering her face in her hands. 

Hurt rippled across his face. "What?" 

Oh God, she'd completely freaked him out, hadn't she? 

"I shouldn't have done that," she rushed embarrassedly. "It was the heat of the moment — please, Percy, it-it didn't mean anything, I swear." 

Percy's face crumpled momentarily, but it disappeared so quickly that Annabeth thought she must've imagined it. 

"Can we please just forget I did that?" Annabeth pleaded desperately. "You're one of my best friends, I-I can't lose you." 

If lying about her feelings meant that she'd get to keep Percy just a little longer, well, Annabeth was okay with that. 

The rain matted her hair before she stepped under the shelter of her driveway, biting her lip as she tried to put distance between them. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid. 

"Percy," Annabeth's voice cracked. "Please say something." 

He looked at her painfully. "You-you just want to go back to normal? Pretend it never happened?" 

Annabeth swallowed. Of course, she didn't. But clearly, he didn't feel the same way, and she'd punch a wall if she messed everything up by making a tiny mistake like this. "If-if you'd like that." 

She couldn't read his expression through the sleets of raining pounding down, but she did hear his voice, "O-okay." He sounded so lost that it made her wince. 

"Bye, Percy," she murmured. Annabeth turned away from him, ducking her head to hide the agony that was surely written all over her face. 

Only when she had slammed the door behind her did Annabeth collapse onto the couch and allow herself to process what had just happened. 

She'd just kissed Percy. "Oh my God," Annabeth whimpered. "What the hell have I done?" 

Neither of them had expected it. Gun to her head, Annabeth would have to admit that it was the best damn kiss she'd ever had. 

But it was marred by the conversation that followed. Her heart hammered against her ribcage like it was ready to tear itself out. Would he think of her differently? Would things be weird between them? Could they even still be friends? 

"Annabeth?" The lights in the living room flickered on to reveal Helen standing in the corridor and looking down at her in surprise. "You're back early." 

Annabeth glanced at the clock. 12.35am. What a great start to the new day. She rolled over onto her back to stare hopelessly at the ceiling. 

"I did something really, really stupid," she said miserably. The couch sunk down as Helen sat down by her head. 

Annabeth shifted into Helen's side, hugging her like she was her lifeline. 

"Hey," Helen said softly. "Whatever the issue is, will it matter in a month's time?" 

Annabeth chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't think so." It was the next few days that were the killer here. 

Helen brushed her hair back. "Then it isn't enough for you to worry about." 

They sat like that for a while, and Annabeth wasn't sure when she fell asleep, plagued by nagging thoughts and worries, but when she woke up, the smell of pancakes wafted through the house, joined by familiar chattering of her brothers' voices. 

"Mum said we couldn't eat all the pancakes," Bobby grumbled, setting down a plate of them on the coffee table in front of her. 

Annabeth rubbed her eyes blearily, stretching out the crick in her neck as she sat up slowly. "What?" One glance down told her that she hadn't changed out of her clothes from last night. She was still wearing her flowery dress and boots. 

"What happened last night?" Matthew asked curiously. Her brothers were 12 this year, but that didn't mean that they'd grown up yet. If anything, they were more immature and irritating than ever before. 

So it was safe to say that Annabeth was surprised when they actually seemed interested in her daily affairs. "Well," Annabeth sighed, grabbing a knife and fork. "Let's just say I did something I'm not proud of."

"You seem upset," Bobby said suspiciously. "Is it a boy?" Matthew pulled a face in response. 

Annabeth deferred to answer, munching silently on her breakfast. Her brothers had no idea how close they were to hitting the jackpot. 

"We'll beat him up," Bobby offered. It was comical, seeing her baby brother trying to crack his knuckles. 

"Please," Matthew snorted. "She could do that herself." 

Annabeth pointed her fork at him. "You're clearly the smarter one." 

"Play nice, kids," Helen called threateningly as she sat down across the table with a plate.

Breakfast with her family, minus her dad, was a refreshing change of pace. Annabeth reminded herself to appreciate them more. 

+++++

"...No! Captain America is clearly the better one because it's his personality that makes him good at heart!" 

"What? Tony Stark literally saved half the world from death!" 

Percy snatched another Dorito from the giant bowl on Hazel's lap. He'd spent the last fifteen minutes sitting by Piper's pool, listening to Jason and Frank argue about superhero movies. 

Honestly, any other day and he would've gladly joined in, but Percy simply wasn't in the mood today. 

Could anyone really blame him? He spent ten glorious seconds kissing the girl of his dreams, deliriously thinking that everything was right in the world, only to have his hopes completely dashed when she pulled away to tell him that it was "in the heat of the moment". 

Yeah, no, he didn't feel crushed at all. 

"What's wrong with you?" Hazel nudged him. "You're all quiet and glum." 

Percy took another Dorito in reply. 

Hazel set aside the bowl and leaned down conspiratorially. "What happened?" 

Percy hesitated as he swallowed the chip. Hazel was one of his best friends, and actually gave good advice, compared to Frank. "Annabeth kissed me," he said abruptly. 

Hazel's jaw dropped. "What? You kissed Annabeth?" she shrieked. 

Percy leaped off his seat in horror. "Hazel!" 

"You kissed Annabeth!" Piper repeated in astonishment. "I-What-Why the hell didn't you say anything?" she cried furiously. "And-and you let Jason and Leo talk about-about TV characters this whole time?" 

Percy shot a glare at Hazel, who was scarlet with apology. 

"When did this happen?" Jason demanded. "You guys didn't tell us?" 

"Last night," Percy protested. "Look, it didn't mean anything," he mumbled. "She made that very clear." 

He watched as Piper pinched the bridge of her nose exasperatedly. "I am going to have some words with her," she said menacingly. 

"No, you can't tell her!" Percy hissed, eyes darting to the door. Annabeth would be the last to arrive. "We didn't exactly discuss it, and you'll just make it worse." 

Piper crossed her arms. "Fine," she relented begrudgingly. 

There were a few seconds of silence where Percy decided that maybe it wouldn't be so bad that all his friends accidentally found out. 

"Can you believe it finally happened?" Leo exploded. 

"You ruined it," Percy groaned. "What happened to 'not talking about it'?" 

"I'm sorry," Leo said indignantly. "But, c'mon, it's been ages! People have gotten married more quickly!" 

"Shut up, shut up," Percy said sharply, his ears perking up at the sound of the front gate creaking open. "She's here. Act normal." 

When the sliding doors opened to reveal a very anxious-looking Annabeth, Hazel was the first to speak. 

"Annabeth!" Hazel squeaked, her voice much higher than usual. "We've been waiting for you!" She paused. "Not that we've been talking about you—"

"Want a Dorito?" Frank interrupted, silencing Hazel with a frantic look as he held out the bowl to Annabeth. 

Percy buried his face in his hands. He wanted to drown himself in the pool. 

"Um, thanks?" Annabeth said confusedly. Out of the corner of his eye, Percy saw her gaze flicker to him. She cleared her throat. "So, what are we doing?" 

"Swimming," Leo blurted out. "It's a pool," he laughed nervously. "What else would we be doing? Not kissing, that's for sure." 

Percy wanted to shoot himself in the foot. Or Leo. 

Annabeth winced. "Um, so Percy told you." 

"It was an accident," Percy defended, scratching the back of his head. He hoped his cheeks weren't as red as he thought they were. "Hazel's incapable of whispering." 

"Well, it's fine," Piper interrupted. She eyed Annabeth suspiciously. They exchanged a few looks, like they were having a silent conversation that Percy wasn't privy to. 

"So," Jason started awkwardly. "Are you guys dating?" 

Percy and Annabeth promptly erupted into incredulous noises and spluttering. 

"No, no," Annabeth's voice came out all high-pitched. She readjusted it with a blush. "It didn't mean anything. We're just gonna ignore it. Y'know, it was just a kiss. Wasn't a big deal." 

"Wasn't a big deal, my ass," Jason muttered under his breath. 

"I heard you," Percy hissed, discreetly kicking him under the sunbed. 

Annabeth set her bag down, sighing. "Let's just do what we came here to do." 

Leo raised an eyebrow. "No, this is much more interesting." 

"I'll start the barbecue," Percy said loudly, walking over to the grill. 

He thanked whatever entities were out there for his ability to lie his way out of any situation. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, Percy saw Annabeth alarmed and interrogated by the rest of their friends. 

Your turn, he thought with relief. 

As he watched them subtly, a small part of Percy's mind took note of how impossible this would've seemed a few months. He and Annabeth had done that; brought their friends together. Enemies to nearly inseparable. 

Now, that was impressive.


	25. Prom Night

Percy always counted down the days till summer, and he had finally reached the last day. 

It marked nine days since his kiss with Annabeth. 

Unfortunately, the awkwardness hadn't completely relented. It definitely didn't help that one of their friends would send suggestive winks their way whenever they were within a foot of each other. 

On the other hand, it was getting better. Percy found it even more impossible than before to act normally around Annabeth when he was spiralling deeper into his feelings for her everyday. 

Not to mention that summer would pull them apart for 10 whole weeks, with Percy working summer jobs left and right, and Annabeth off touring Europe with her family. 

He couldn't even begin to fathom not seeing her face-to-face for such a long time. Before, maybe they could've texted and called, but now? They couldn't even speak to each other without someone else acting as a buffer. 

On another note, today also marked prom night for juniors and seniors. It was momentous, according to Silena, since it was Percy's first time going stag to a school dance. 

He hadn't even considered asking anyone else until Piper innocently (not) brought the subject up at lunch the other day, using Rachel as a suggestion. 

That had ended with a lot of mumbling and embarrassed "no"s. 

This school year had definitely been the best one of his life, not just because of Annabeth, but because of the new friends he'd made. Percy didn't know if he could survive two whole months alone with Gabe and his mum after that. 

"Okay, don't stare, okay?" Piper told Percy as she climbed into Jason's car. The four of them, including Annabeth, were driving to prom together. The three girls had gotten ready at Annabeth's house together, but Frank had already driven to pick up Hazel, and Leo was meeting them there. "I work miracles," Piper informed the two boys smugly. 

Percy furrowed his brow in confusion, but when his gaze flickered to the door, his eyes widened in awe. 

Annabeth looked like she belonged on a runway in Paris. Piper had done something to her hair; put it up in a messy bun in the back of her head. With everything, Percy liked that she still wore her favourite owl earrings; a small piece of herself. Piper had also clearly chosen Annabeth's dress, which was a pretty blue and brushed past her ankles. 

Percy glanced down at his tie — one of Jason's — which matched Annabeth's dress perfectly. "I feel betrayed, Jason." 

"You'll thank me later," Jason whispered as the car door clicked open and Annabeth slid into the seat beside Percy. 

"You look like you're ready to leap out the window, Percy," Annabeth said absent-mindedly. "Relax, it's not like I have a disease." 

Percy saw Piper's eyebrows shoot skywards in the driver's mirror, matching his own surprise perfectly. 

Annabeth seemed to realise the humour she'd let slip without much thinking, and she blushed, falling silent and looking out the window. 

When they arrived at the dance, Percy was surprised to see how well the students had done up the place. Beckendorf was on the committee (by Silena's force), so he made a mental note to tease him about it later. 

"Picture! Picture!" Clarisse yelled, stopping Percy short from escape with the evil eye. "C'mon, do it, or Silena really will have my head." 

Percy glanced at Annabeth, and they made a silent agreement. A truce, for tonight. 

He tentatively slung an arm across her shoulder, and when she didn't stiffen, Percy took it as a good sign. They flashed blinding smiles into the camera before being ushered out of place so Jason and Piper could take their own. 

Percy cleared his throat. "I'll, uh, get punch. See you later?" When Annabeth gave him a half-hearted smile, Percy disappeared into the crowd with a sigh of relief. 

It hurt to have his crush know he liked her when she didn't like him back. Percy berated himself internally. He'd had girlfriends before. He wasn't a child. He just needed to deal with this like an adult. 

Percy reminded himself that he only had to do this for one more night. Then, when they came back to school, everyone would forget about it and everything could go back to normal. 

The night was a blur. At one point, Percy danced with Rachel, laughing easily. It was many degrees more comfortable than when they'd been dating. 

Jason, Leo and Frank also dragged him along with them when 'Single Ladies' came on, and Will Solace, the temporary DJ, called for all the guys to get on the dance floor. 

Percy barely saw Annabeth at all, and it was just easier to keep her off his mind this way. Of course, he hated this weird distance between them, but he didn't really have any other options at the moment. 

That changed when Will put a slow song on. 

"Grab a girlfriend, a boyfriend, or just a random partner, and get out here!" 

Percy gulped, wanting nothing more than to run away when he spotted Drew making a beeline for him. 

"Help me," he murmured as the rest of his friends grabbed their respective partners and left, shooting him unsympathetic looks. 

Even Leo danced ironically with Clarisse, seeing as Calypso and Chris were unavailable tonight. 

"Hey, Percy." Drew claimed the seat next to him unabashedly, her arm propped up on the table and her chin resting against her palm. "Care for a dance?" 

Percy stammered out something unintelligible. 

"You don't have a partner," Drew pointed out. "No excuses, Percy." 

"Actually," came a smooth voice. A familiar hand slid into his and yanked him to his feet. Percy stumbled into Annabeth's side, stunned as she gave Drew an innocent smile. "He's taken." 

Percy laughed nervously. "Yep, sorry, Drew." Not releasing Annabeth's hand, he hurried into the dance floor, whisking her into a waltz. 

"You owe me big time," Annabeth smirked. 

"You're like my knight in shining armour," Percy replies sarcastically, twirling her around. 

When the joking died down, they were left, once again, with the awkwardness. 

Percy was so frustrated he wanted to scream. 

"I hate this," he blurted out as they danced to "My Heart Will Go On". "You and me, pretending like we're strangers after months of growing past that." 

"I know," Annabeth groaned. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean for it to get to this stage." 

As they glided along the wooden floor of the sports hall, Percy felt people shooting them curious looks. 

"I just want to go back to normal," Annabeth admitted. "Without all this tip-toeing around each other." She sighed. "It sucks. One kiss shouldn't affect us this much." 

Percy dipped her cautiously. "Piper said it's all in our heads," he relayed. "'It's only awkward if you make it awkward'," he quoted. 

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Annabeth grumbled. 

That earned a laugh from him as he pulled her back up into a spin. The ballroom dancing sessions the principal had inserted into sports lessons last week, much to Coach Hedge's chagrin, were probably a good thing. 

"I will miss you, Annabeth," Percy said before he could lose his courage. "Really." 

She pulled a face. "Tell me about it. Two months is forever." Annabeth ducked under his arm, shifting her hands to clasp around his neck. 

Percy felt his breath hitch in his throat, their position dangerously close to the moments preceding their kiss. 

"Okay, I'll make sure to text you at least once a day," Annabeth rattled off aloud. "Even if it's just to ask about what you ate for breakfast." 

"An apple, by the way," Percy informed her. 

"Exotic." 

"Thanks. It was Spanish." 

The two of them twirled around unexpectedly gracefully a few more times. 

"How do you feel about the trip to Europe?" Percy asked. 

Annabeth shrugged. "Truthfully, I have no idea. A road trip in an RV with my family? Being stuck in that tiny metal box for weeks on end with my brother? I might kill someone by the end of it." 

"I honestly wouldn't put it past you."

"And my dad and Helen have been in a fight," Annabeth said, rolling her eyes. "I don't even know what about. But last time he was back, they barely even spoke to each other." 

Percy raised an eyebrow. "You might have to act as mediator." 

"Imagine that," Annabeth snorted. "Me? Calm? I'm the worst person for the job." 

"Maybe better than Leo," Percy mulled. 

Annabeth hummed in agreement. "He does have an uncanny ability for pissing people off." She studied his face. "What about you?" 

Percy sighed. "Helping my mum out at the candy shop. We might go down to Montauk for a few weekends. Maybe get some work experience at the community centre. Practice swimming with the local club my coach suggested. They've got competitions once school starts that I'm planning to take part in." 

Annabeth pursed her lips. "I meant with Gabe." 

Percy winced at that. 

"It kills me that I won't be here," Annabeth confessed. "I mean, you'll probably be fine, but — just in case." She gave him an accusatory glare. "You have to call me if anything even remotely dangerous happens. Even if it's 3am for me." 

"I'll just send you a text," Percy corrected. 

"But if you're in the hospital—"

"I won't be in the hospital," he reassured her. "Annabeth, I'll be okay. Don't worry, seriously. Go have a fun holiday." 

Annabeth pulled him into a hug as the last few notes of the song chimed. 

"It's just two months," Percy tried to keep up a cheerful tone. "We'll see each other before we even realise we're gone." 

As much as he tried to stay positive, Percy's spirits sunk further and further as the night continued. 

The dance ended just before midnight, and Percy had to say goodbye to Leo, Hazel and Frank at the door. 

"Oh, I'm gonna miss you so much," Hazel complained as she gave him one last hug. 

"Hazel, I-I'm gonna miss you too but I can't breathe." 

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, you can go away now." 

Percy gave Frank and Leo hugs of their own too. Frank was visiting family in Canada for the whole of July, and August was spent holidaying elsewhere. 

"I'm gonna be here most of the time too," Leo assured him. "Don't be afraid to call." 

Percy felt slightly comforted at the thought of not being completely alone. 

The four of them who had arrived in Jason's car had to leave together, so Percy didn't have to say another goodbye until the car pulled up in front of Annabeth's house. 

Their eyes met in the darkened car, and Percy was speaking before he could register what he was saying, "I'll walk home from here." 

Annabeth visibly relaxed, sending him a grateful smile as she hugged the other two goodbye and climbed out of the car. 

Percy gave Piper a quick hug and clapped Jason on the back before following Annabeth out. 

The blue car sped off down the road, leaving the two of them standing there in the dust. Percy didn't know what to say. How could he find the words to say goodbye to Annabeth? 

Before he could wrack his brain any further, Annabeth attacked him with a hug, her arms wrapped around the back of his neck. Percy stumbled back, but returned the gesture when he regained his balance. 

"I'm gonna miss you too, Percy," Annabeth murmured softly. 

Percy swallowed. "See you in two months." 

"Stay safe," Annabeth said quietly, leaning forward to give his hand a squeeze before she started walking slowly towards the gate. 

Turn back, Percy desperately thought. 

When she reached the door, Annabeth looked over her shoulder, giving him one last smile. 

Percy suppressed his sadness and waved at her brightly. He tucked his hands in his pockets and started off down the street, back to his house. 

He'd been countering down the days for a year. It was summer. Percy just thought it should feel better.


	26. Homecoming

Annabeth stared blankly into her closet. She'd always thought her clothes were fairly fashionable, but now, looking at them, Annabeth didn't know what to wear for her first day of school. 

Once glance in the mirror told her that she pretty much looked the same, albeit it with lighter hair and tanner skin from Europe's blaring sunlight. 

"I have a problem," Annabeth announced, when her bedroom door clicked open. Her gaze flickered to the right, spotting Helen leaning bemusedly in the doorway. 

Helen remained thoughtfully silent as she pursed through Annabeth's outfits. "Hear me out on this," she warned, pulling out a flowery dress Annabeth had bought in London. "This and your black boots with the heels?" 

Annabeth paused. "Good idea," she agreed, grabbing the dress from Helen. "Thanks." 

Helen regarded her with a dramatic expression. "Oh, you're turning into a girl!" 

As she got ready, Annabeth couldn't help the curiosity that overwhelmed her when thinking about seeing her friends again. Her summer trips had kept her too busy to see any of them. Piper had facetimed her from her holiday houses all over the world — Greece, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, you name it. 

Frank's exploits in Canada were documented by terrible pictures he sent to their group chat, while Leo spammed them with new pictures of his inventions. 

Hazel attended a summer camp for Literature and History — a right nightmare in Annabeth's opinion. Jason, on the other hand, spent half his holidays in Australia, and the other half hanging out with Leo and Percy. 

Now that she thought of him, Annabeth wasn't able to get him out of her head. Percy was, without question, the person she was most nervous about seeing again. 

They'd parted on kind of a strange note, not speaking to each other for the week prior to prom. Annabeth could still remember the kiss, though she wasn't sure if she'd just built it up in her head over time. 

It was an understatement to say that she'd thought about Percy over the holidays. Sure, they'd texted — at least once a day, as promised — but seeing him face-to-face was a whole other story. 

What if that kiss had ruined their entire friendship? Two months was a long time to spend apart. What if they forgot how to behave around each other? 

These were the worried that plagued her as she got on her bike and cycled to school, a massive duffel bag attached the the back of it. 

Tonight was Homecoming for seniors. Annabeth couldn't believe that this was her last year of high school. At one point, she'd been excited for it to be over and to move on to college, but now, she wasn't quite ready to give it up just yet. 

Piper had invited Hazel and herself over to get ready, so Annabeth had her dress and shoes in the bag. 

"Annabeth!" Leo was the first person she bumped into. He used the locker right next to hers. They shared a hug after Annabeth shoved her new books inside the locker. "How're you doing?" 

"Alright," she said with a grin. "Weird to be back here." 

"You're so tan," Leo informed her enviously. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "It was our vacation, Leo." 

"To the sun?" Leo muttered disbelievingly. 

"Annabeth! Leo!" A shorter girl with frizzy brown hair skipped up to them excitedly. Hazel attacked them with hugs. 

"I like your hair," Annabeth remarked. 

Hazel flashed her a cheery smile. "I spent July learning how to braid my hair." She was wearing two Dutch braids today that dangled down to just brush on her shoulder. Her hand was linked tightly with Frank's, who didn't look as excited as the rest of them to be back in school. 

Another body nudged into them from the left, forcing the three friends to stumble. "Good morning," Piper sang, Jason in tow. She leaned down conspiratorially. "Have you seen him yet?" 

Annabeth fought off a blush. "Who?"

"Don't act dumb," Piper snorted, pulling her aside. They'd spent the entire summer texting back and forth, and Annabeth had eventually confessed her true feelings about the kiss over the phone. 

"I'm over him," Annabeth hissed back. "Two months was more than enough time for me to get over a silly crush." 

Piper frowned. "I just hate that you guys missed out on such a great opportunity." 

"Oh, okay, just because you're convinced that we both liked each other at the same time doesn't mean you're right," Annabeth said decidedly. 

"But you did!" 

"You've said that about every crush I've had since freshman year," Annabeth deadpanned. 

Piper gave her a sheepish look. "Yeah, well, I was just trying to make you feel better. I actually believe it this time!" 

Annabeth shot her an accusing glare. "You lied to me?" 

"To make you feel better!" Piper's exclamation was cut short by her own gasp as she elbowed Annabeth in the ribs so hard she yelped in pain. "Look!" 

Annabeth's gaze followed her gestures to see Percy emerge from the crowds of reuniting students, all friendly smiles and fist bumps. 

Windswept black hair, lopsided grin, mesmerising green eyes? Yeah, Annabeth definitely wasn't over him. 

Suppressing the thought, Annabeth faked nonchalance when Piper looked over at her expectantly. 

"Oh, forget it," Piper grumbled, leaving to go bother Frank and Hazel. 

Annabeth swallowed. If it was even possible, Percy looked better than when she'd last seen him. He was taller — taller than Frank now — how was it even possible that he was still growing? — and his shoulders were broader. 

Percy was wearing a t-shirt with a trident on it, one Annabeth had seen him wear a thousand times, but now it clung to his figure. 

Annabeth sent a silent prayer to Helen for making her wear this dress. 

The two of them stopped in the middle of the hallway, about a foot apart. 

"Hi," Annabeth breathed, almost shyly. Her heart had skipped a beat upon seeing him, but she hoped she'd regained her composure enough for him not to notice it. 

Yeah, definitely not over him. She'd hoped that seeing him again wouldn't bring back all those feelings, but it did, and Annabeth promptly realised that she'd never really moved on. 

There was something about Percy that always reeled her back in. 

"How was Europe?" Percy asked, at the same time that Annabeth blurted out, "Did you spend summer taking steroids?" 

Percy burst out laughing at her incredulous question. 

"Sorry!" Annabeth protested. "But, seriously. No one should be allowed to grow this much call this time. It's not fair. Donate some tall genes to me, please." 

"Wish I could," Percy feigned a sympathetic expression. "You need the help." 

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up." 

"It's that swimming club I joined, remember?" Percy reminded her as they walked side by side towards the assembly hall. "Practice was four times a week during summer." 

Annabeth's eyes widened. "I'd hope that you're an Olympic swimmer after all that," she informed him. 

"Mm, not just yet." 

+++++

"Looking out for a certain someone?" Jason said suggestively, hovering by Percy's shoulder. 

Percy gulped down his fruit punch to hide his reddening cheeks. "Just our friends." 

Leo coughed to hide his mutter of "Annabeth." 

"I heard you." 

"I meant for you to," Leo told him. 

Homecoming was boring, in Percy's opinion. They'd practically just had prom before the end of school, and now they were back again. He was using the same suit, which was now a little small, but had borrowed a red tie from Frank. 

The four boys were sitting on one of the tables, impatiently waiting for the rest of their friends. 

"They're thirty minutes late," Leo complained. 

"It's called being fashionably late," someone piped up. 

Percy shifted in his seat to see Piper sliding into the chair beside him. Her short purple dress was tucked under her thighs as she smoothed it out. 

"Oh, you look beautiful," Jason murmured, kissing her on the cheek. 

"Gross," Leo mimed throwing up, which made Percy stifle a snort. 

Hazel and Annabeth trailed behind, Annabeth constantly tripping as she stiffly made her way to their table. 

"This is your fault," Annabeth huffed at Piper once she reached their table. "If you hadn't made me wear such tall heels I wouldn't have nearly died about three times from the car to here." 

Her hair was brushed out to smooth the curls, which hung down to her waist from lack of a haircut. The red dress she was wearing rippled and shimmered as she moved. 

Percy eyed Frank suspiciously. He yanked on the red tie around his neck. "Really?" 

Frank winced apologetically. "Sorry. Hazel said I had to, and you know she can be scary when she wants to." 

Well, Percy couldn't exactly argue with that. Homecoming was nice in the idea that it gave everyone a chance to catch up and discuss their respective summers. 

They even took a group picture in the photo booth with a copy printed for each of them. 

And of course, Percy danced with Annabeth. 

"It's a tradition at this point," she noted, resting her hands on his shoulders. 

Percy was glad to know that whatever awkwardness had been between them was now gone. Except that he still liked her. A lot. 

Even more than before if that was possible. Percy's head had gone all dizzy and faint when he saw her for the first time this morning. No one should be allowed to look that pretty. 

Summer had been a nightmare. Swimming and exercising had been a much-needed distraction Percy had thrown himself into, mostly to escape Gabe, but also to get his mind off of Annabeth. 

He'd hoped that his feelings would fade over time, but they hadn't at all. It was like being apart from her only made him build her up in his head so much more, and then when he saw her again, Percy knew that she surpassed even his imagination. 

"Did you meet anyone new this summer?" Annabeth asked, a nonchalant facade plastered across her face. 

Percy tried to smile when she asked that. As good a liar as Annabeth was, she couldn't hide the slightly jealous tinge to her voice. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but it made him want to laugh just thinking about it. 

"Well, there was this girl Sadie," Percy admitted. "She's the lifeguard at the pool. But she's just a friend — well, actually, I think she might be a minor criminal." 

And it wasn't like he could see himself with anyone except Annabeth. 

Annabeth visibly relaxed. "Oh." 

"What about you?" Percy returned, hoping he didn't sound too eager. 

"Nah," Annabeth said easily. "I spent most of the time with my family." Her face seemed to droop when she mentioned it. 

Percy frowned. "What's wrong?" He clasped her hand and spun her to the right. 

"Helen and my dad seemed really...tense," Annabeth confessed. "But it's not like they're fighting, it's just...they're not really speaking to each other. I thought a long family holiday would fix it, but if anything, it just seemed to push them apart more." 

Percy pulled a face. "That sucks. I'm sorry." 

Annabeth shrugged. "No, it's fine. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." She eyed him suspiciously. "What about Gabe?" 

Percy flinched.

"That bad?" she said anxiously. 

"Only a couple of times," Percy tried to sound reassuring. "There wasn't anything major except for when he made me waiter for their poker game and I refused." 

"I thought we discussed you not being impertinent." 

"It slipped out," Percy said, the implied "oops" in his voice. 

"Did you patch yourself up?" Annabeth asked. 

"My mum helped once. I told her I slipped and fell in the pool." 

"Your excuses never fail to impress me," Annabeth said sarcastically. "And she believes you?" 

"I think she'd believe anything to deny that her husband's hitting her son," Percy pointed out. 

"Well, fair enough." 

They moved in silence, more coordinated and in sync than actual couples. 

In the back of his mind, Percy recalled the charm bracelet he'd bought from the store across from his mum's candy shop. He'd got it impulsively to give to Annabeth, but the more he thought about it, the more Percy realised that that might give her the wrong idea. 

Or, make her realise that he still liked her. 

"I still have your jacket," Annabeth said abruptly. "From when we saw 'The Lion King'." 

And we kissed. 

The missing words hung in the space between them. 

"I doubt it'll fit you anymore," Annabeth grumbled. "Seriously, my neck hurts from having to tilt it up to look at you now." 

Percy chuckled. "I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate." 

"That's right. You'd better be."


	27. Jose Mortelli

Annabeth clammed her phone between her ear and her shoulder, her hands preoccupied with pulling off her heels. 

"Annabeth?" came Helen's voice through the phone. 

"Hey," Annabeth groaned as she delighted in the feel of her uncaged feet. "I swear to you, Piper's shoes are torture instruments. My feet feel like they're bleeding." 

Helen laughed. "Well, okay." 

"This is my obligated call to tell you that I'm still alive before we go to Piper's house," Annabeth told her with an eye-roll. "You don't need to worry." 

Helen hummed disapprovingly. "I'll always worry, Annabeth. Have fun, and be home for dinner tomorrow!" 

The phone line clicked as she hung up. Annabeth sighed, moving to pocket her phone. 

Gravel crunching echoed through the alleyway behind her. Annabeth paused, spinning on her heel as she scanned her surroundings. "Piper?" 

When there was no answer, Annabeth swallowed nervously, gripping her phone tightly as she set down her heels. 

"Hello?" she called out. Her voice reverberated from stone wall to wall. Gulping, Annabeth grabbed her shoes again and started forward, only to be met with a burly, bald man. 

Her eyes widened in recognition; he was one of Mortelli's henchmen, that loan shark who gotten her stabbed. 

A hand came up to clamp over her mouth before Annabeth could yell, her phone ripped out of her grip. Her muffled shouts still portrayed her fury as something swung down and slammed into the back of her head, blacking out the world. 

+++++

Tap. Tap. Tap. 

"Would you stop that?" Piper snapped, shooting a fidgeting Leo a glare. 

"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly. "We've been waiting her for ten minutes. How long does it take Annabeth to make one phone call?" 

Percy rolled his eyes. "I'll go get her." Shoving his hands in his pockets, Percy slowly made his way to the alleyway Annabeth had been in earlier, kicking stones as he went. 

"Annabeth?" he called. His voice echoed from wall to wall, but no reply came. Frowning, Percy tried again, "Annabeth?" 

He could've sworn that she was here a minute ago. 

"Guys, she isn't here!" Percy yelled back, receiving groans from the rest of his friends. "I—" He cut himself off abruptly, eyes narrowing as he spotted a phone lying on the ground. Casing with the swirly marble patterns — Annabeth's phone. 

"What?" Percy murmured under his breath, leaning down to pick it up. He turned it over in confusion. 

"Where is she?" Jason said breathlessly as he jogged up to him. 

"I have no idea," Percy said truthfully, handing him the phone. "This is her phone, isn't it?" He spun around in a circle, scanning the alleyway. No sign of Annabeth at all. "Maybe she dropped it on her way to find us and got lost?" 

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Annabeth?" 

Percy sighed. "Good point." 

"What is taking you so—" Hazel stopped short. "Where's Annabeth?" 

"We don't know," Percy told her helplessly. 

"Well, unlock her phone," Hazel suggested. "What was she doing?" 

Jason pressed his thumb to the home button, his fingerprint unlocking the phone with a soft click. He opened up the call application. 

"Made a call to Helen a few minutes ago," Percy read off the screen. This was getting weirder and weirder by the second. 

Jason pulled out his phone, dialling the same number. "Helen?" 

Percy could hear the muffled voice of Annabeth's stepmother over the phone. "Jason? What's up?" 

"Did Annabeth say anything about coming home today?" Jason asked. 

Helen paused for a second, bewilderment leaking through her voice. "No. She said she was about to go home with Piper. Why? Is something up?" 

"No, no problem," Jason said hastily. "She's just by the punch bowl, I see her now. Thanks, Helen." 

As he hung up, Percy pulled Annabeth's phone out of his grip, an idea popping into his head. He double-clicked the home button curiously. 

"Voice memos," he said weirdly. "Why would she use that?" Percy scrolled to the page and tapped on it, opening up a single voice memo, taken a few minutes ago. 

The moment his finger pressed play, Percy froze up at the raspy voice that came through. 

"I don't take unpaid debts lightly," a man crooned. 

Percy's heart leaped into his throat in horror as he recognised it as none other than Jose Mortelli's voice. "Oh my God," he whispered, his knees shaking weakly. 

"You failed to pay me in cash, so she'll pay with her life," Mortelli hissed. "Goodbye, Percy Jackson." 

The line clicked off from the ten-second recording. 

Percy tilted his head up to see Jason staring at him, fear written across his every feature. "That wasn't..." Jason trailed off, looking like he was about to be ill. 

"Yeah," Percy said feverishly. "This-this can't be happening." 

"What?" Hazel asked, bewildered. "Who was that?" 

Percy leaned heavily against the wall, his stomach churning sickeningly. So a crime lord after him had taken Annabeth hostage. Was she even still alive? 

"Mortelli," Jason said miserably. "The loan shark Gabe owed money to." 

"He...he took her?" Hazel repeated. "Annabeth? I-What—" She cut herself off frustratedly. "No, this isn't happening. This is real life, not some kind of-of crime drama!" 

"We have to call the police," Percy said abruptly, stumbling out of the alleyway, his phone already in his hand as he dialled 911. His head swirled; Annabeth was gone. She was missing. Oh God, what was he going to do? 

"Percy?" Hazel said anxiously as she hurried after him. "I thought the police weren't an option." 

"They are now," Percy bit back the terror in his heart. "I'll risk my own life but not Annabeth's. There isn't anything else I can do now — this-this is completely out of my hands—"

Jason snatched the phone from his hand and hung up. "Doing this over the phone?" he demanded. "No, that'll just confuse everyone." 

"We have to do something!" Percy cried helplessly. 

Hazel reaches out and steadied him. "Look," she tried to sound as optimistic as possible. "This is a ridiculous situation right now, but Jason's right. The nearest police precinct isn't far away. Five minutes drive — tops. Jason, get the name of the alleyway and the time when we last saw Annabeth..." 

The next ten minutes were a blur in Percy's head. Words left his mouth in sentences he hadn't been conscious of stringing together. His subconscious lagged behind his brain, mulling over the fact that Annabeth was in danger now.

Because of him. 

Percy's head was about to burst when they pulled up at the police station. This was the one place he'd dreaded to find in the last ten years. One wrong word and the situation with Gabe would get worse. 

But, God, Percy would take a hundred beatings if it meant that Annabeth had even a slim chance of being alright. 

"Is there an officer we can speak to?" Percy blurted out once they reached the front desk. "Please, it's important." Hazel and Jason gave him surprised looks. He hadn't said a word on the drive over, too lost in thought. 

"I—sure," the man at the desk stammered, dialling a phone. "What does this pertain to—"

"I'll take it from here, Jennings," a firm voice came from behind them. Percy spun around to see a tall man, a detective's badge adorning his jacket. He scanned the tension between the three teenagers and their stiff postures. "Anything I can help you with?" 

Percy swallowed. Where did he start? His friends were waiting expectantly, knowing he should take the lead in this. 

"My friend's been kidnapped by a man named Jose Mortelli," Percy confessed. "We don't know—"

"Mortelli?" the detective said sharply. 

Percy nodded vigorously. "He's a loan shark. My—" He hesitated. "Someone sent me to tell him that they couldn't pay their debt, and Mortelli ambushed us in an alleyway. We fought our way out, but he's back for revenge." 

"Woah, woah, hold on," the man held a hand up. "Mortelli? Jose Mortelli?" 

"Yes," Hazel said impatiently, handing over Annabeth's phone with the recording on it. 

Percy waited with bated breath as the detective listened, his expression growing more unreadable by the second. 

"Hey, what's going on?" another detective, an African-American woman this time, walked up behind him. 

The male detective turned to him, a sparkle in his eye. "We've got a lead on Mortelli." 

Percy wanted to scream. This wasn't good. Annabeth was in danger, didn't they get it?

The woman's eyes widened in response. "Oh my God." She stammered, "Let's get you to give a proper statement—"

"Please, we need to help my friend," Percy pleaded. "I think she's in danger — did you hear him on the phone?" 

"I did," the first detective reassured him. "Don't worry, we're gonna do all we can." He turned to the woman. "I'll take his statement, you get Captain Gray and the Sarge up to speed. Maybe get FBI on the line—"

"FBI?" Hazel echoed incredulously. 

The detective turned on them, wincing. "Yeah, I'm afraid Mortelli isn't a loan shark. He's a notorious crime lord and runs a drug cartel. We've been after him for the longest time — even had a task force on him last year." He beckoned for Percy to follow him. "You seem like the centre of all this, wanna come with me?" 

Percy exchanged wary looks with his friends, but there wasn't really anything more he could do. A crime lord? Drug cartel? This was so much more than anything he'd expected. What exactly had he gotten Annabeth into? 

As he trailed after the detective, Percy took in all that was the police precinct. Uniformed officers littered the first floor, but the second storey was mainly people in casual-work clothes — the detectives. 

The detective leading Percy paused every now and then to exchange a couple of words with a colleague, but eventually he slid into a rolly-chair, gesturing for Percy to sit down across from him. 

"I'm Detective James Hart," the man introduced. 

"Percy Jackson," Percy returned. 

"I've got Brian doing a voice trace on Mortelli's little message, and Sabrina — the woman you met earlier — checking any of his old hideouts nearby," James informed him. He studied Percy's expression. "You okay, kid?" 

Slumping in the chair, Percy felt the exhaustion and bewilderment really wash over him. "I don't know," he admitted, honestly just wanting a nap. Or caffeine. 

"I'm really sorry you had to deal with this," James sighed, pulling out a complicated-looking form. The words swam in front of Percy's eyes. "You mentioned a previous run-in with Mortelli?" 

Percy nodded. "I was supposed to tell him about a late return on some loan. He had two thugs with him to rough me up, but my friends came just in time to get us out of there." 

"Was one of these friends the person who was abducted?" James asked. 

He nodded again. "Annabeth Chase. We were heading over to another friend's house after homecoming, and she left to make a phone call. By the time we realised she was missing, it'd been seven minutes since anyone had seen her." 

"So this grudge Mortelli has against you," James continued. "Is that the reason why Annabeth was taken?" 

Percy shook his head. "I don't know," he said helplessly. "I think so, and I hate myself for it. When he attacked us last December, Annabeth...punched him in the nose and broke his leg." 

James snorted. "Annabeth sounds like a badass." 

Percy felt the corner of his mouth tug upwards slightly. "She is." 

"Why were you fighting him in the first place?" James questioned. "Did you borrow money from him?" 

Percy shook his head. 

"Right, you were doing it for someone else." James frowned. "Who?" 

The blood pounded in Percy's ears. 

Gabe, he wanted to scream. 

The image of his mother at home alone with Gabe flashed across his mind. 

"I can't say," Percy managed at last. 

James furrowed his eyebrows. "What? Why?" 

Percy paled. "I just can't. Please," he tried to redirect. "Do you know where he's taken Annabeth?" 

"Who made you go to Mortelli in their place?" James asked again. "Was it a classmate? A family member?" 

"Please don't," Percy said, his voice cracking. He couldn't take this anymore. The worry about Annabeth was nagging at him, not to mention the fear at being found out. 

"Sorry," James said immediately. He ran a hand through his hair. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me." 

"Thank you," Percy said weakly. "I really wish I—I'm sorry." 

"No, it's fine," James said sincerely. He leaned against the back of his chair tiredly. "I should be thanking you, really. This is the first solid lead we've had on Mortelli in months." 

He glanced at Percy. "Hope Cap doesn't get on my back for telling you, but you should know that someone will probably approach you to sign a form to officially aid us in this." 

Percy blinked. "What?" 

"Mortelli has a grudge against you and this Annabeth," James pointed out. "If he's after you, we can catch him." 

"I'll do anything," Percy said instantly. "To get Annabeth back. To help you arrest him." 

"It's not that easy," James said warily. "We don't have enough evidence against him. The task force and the FBI's been building a case against him for years, but they can never seem to get it right. If they make a mistake, Mortelli gets off scot-free." 

"You said he'd be after me," Percy said suddenly. "Couldn't you use me as bait?" 

James gave him a strange look. "You are far too eager to jump into this. Do you have a death wish?" 

No, I have nothing to lose. 

"Hart!" Sabrina barked, slamming a paper file on his desk. "Abandoned warehouse fifteen minutes away. A elderly care home nurse nearby said he saw movement inside." 

"Why is it always an abandoned warehous?" James grumbled. He gave Percy an apologetic look. "It's not always like a horror movie, I swear." 

"We have a problem," Sabrina sighed. "If we rush in, full force, they'll just take the girl and run. Probably kill her immediately." 

"Want to get a negotiator in?" James suggested. 

"Please," Sabrina snorted. "Mortelli doesn't negotiate. You know that." 

James spun around in his chair, deep in thought. "Well, my friend Percy here had a potentially dangerous yet useful idea earlier." 

Sabrina groaned. "Oh, don't let James convince you to do the same stupid things he does." 

"It was one time, and I took that bullet to save your life," James protested. "Should've let it hit you, clearly." 

"Shut up," Sabrina told him. 

"And in regards to that, it wasn't even my idea to use him as bait," James said indignantly. 

"I'm not going to use a 16-year-old as bait," Sabrina snapped. 

Percy interjected before they could continue bantering. "First, I'm 17. Secondly, he's right, it was my idea." 

"You want to walk into a warehouse alone, where Mortelli could shoot you instantly," Sabrina deadpanned. 

"He wouldn't be alone alone," James insisted. "We'd wait outside where Mortelli couldn't see us." 

"I'll do it," Percy offered. "I'll do anything to make sure Annabeth's okay." He winced. "It's my fault she's in this situation." 

"Don't blame yourself. It's unhealthy," Sabrina told him. She turned back to James. "I'll tell Sarge, get a team there ASAP." 

"I'm coming," James informed her. "Please?" he added. 

"I'll only go if he goes," Percy said helpfully. James sent him a furtive wink. 

"Oh, look at you," Sabrina said exasperatedly. "Already a bad influence on a kid." She eyed them. "Fine. I'll bring it up with him." 

James offered Percy a low high-five under the table. Percy obliged, feeling the hot bubble of anxiety in his chest slowly start to deflate. 

"She'll be fine, right?" Percy said nervously. "Annabeth, I mean." 

James clapped him on the back comfortingly. "We'll try out best," he promised.


	28. Springing A Trap

"You're a hero, kid," James declared as he walked Percy away from the van. 

Soon, they'd be close enough to be within sight of Mortelli's lookouts. 

Percy eyed the warehouse warily. It stood in a decrepit part of town and stood high at three storeys of abandoned concrete. The building practically screamed 'evil hideout'. 

"This doesn't feel that useful," Percy muttered, patting the Teflon bulletproof vest the precinct lent him to wear under his suit. A precaution, James insisted, though Sabrina had advised him to exercise extreme caution. 

Yeah, Percy was about to face down a wanted criminal, she didn't need to tell him twice. 

Even as his nerves bubbled up, Percy reminded himself that Annabeth was somewhere inside that building and needed him to do this. 

"Wish me luck," Percy said warily as he stepped away from James and started towards the warehouse. 

Hazel and Jason were probably pacing their way through the precinct, not permitted to join Percy's super dangerous mission. The rest of their friends were at home, worrying themselves sick despite Percy's attempt at reassuring messages. Though, how could he calm them down when he felt like his heart was going to rip its way out of his chest? 

Please, don't shoot, Percy prayed inwardly as he stepped inside the warehouse. He repeated the mental mantra that a James and the other officers weren't far away. They were ready to break in as soon as Percy got his part over. 

His ADHD caused his mind to ramble, wondering if he should've read the fine print in the paperwork he'd just signed. Percy had made up a signature on the spot and scribbled it hastily in order to get this rescue mission on its way. 

"Mortelli?" Percy called, hoping his voice didn't tremble. "It's Percy, your favourite kid." He winced when he accidentally added that last part. Hazel had told him not to piss Mortelli off. Apparently it was a natural talent. "I'm here to offer you a deal." 

The lines were practiced, but Percy hoped he managed to sound as realistic as possible. James had drilled the script into his head on the drive over here. They didn't use civilians in the field very often, and James clearly wasn't used to having to catch someone else up to his brain. 

Just as Percy prepared to call off the whole operation, a figure stepped out of the shadows. 

Drama queen, Percy thought smugly as he recognised the man as Mortelli. He was flanked by Thing 1 and Thing 2, one of them the same thug from their first run-in. 

"Now," Mortelli spread his hands. "Above all, I am a businessman." He smiled to reveal crooked teeth and a glint in his eye that made Percy's stomach churn. 

"I'll take Annabeth's place," Percy told him. Even though it was just part of the plan, Percy meant it. He'd hop in this psycho's car if it meant Annabeth could get out unscathed. 

Percy wondered when the hell his crush had gotten this strong. 

"How is that a fitting offer when I could just capture you right here?" Mortelli sneered. 

Percy scratched the back of his head. "Um." He hadn't prepared for this. He wasn't exactly the quickest thinker around. The recording device tucked under his collar weighed a ton as Percy scrambled for words to say. 

He could almost see James banging his hand against the window of the car. 

What would Annabeth say? Percy wracked his brain. 

"Annabeth's family would get the police involved," Percy maintained the cool facade. "You could take me without much hassle. Kill me in a forest or something. I doubt anyone would even notice." 

"Tempting," Mortelli relented. "Unfortunately, killing you won't get me my money." 

"Wait, that's what this is about?" Percy said incredulously. 

"She's motivation for you to find the money," Mortelli continued. "And a warning as to what would happen to the rest of your friends should you fail again." He paused. "And revenge — she did break my leg." 

Percy pulled a face. "That must've hurt." He could almost imagine Annabeth rolling her eyes at him. 

Only you would joke with a criminal mastermind, she would say irritatedly, but secretly, Percy knew she wouldn't be all that mad. 

"So where is Annabeth?" Percy tried. No harm, right? 

"I don't see any money," Mortelli said pointedly. 

"Uh," Percy paused awkwardly. "It's...around. Somewhere in my pockets." 

As soon as he uttered the code words, the warehouse doors burst open with a dozen officers, scattered to surround the building. 

"Everybody drop your weapons, hands in the air!" James yelled at the top of his lungs. Split seconds after he even said the words, one of the thugs nabbed Percy, and he was thrown down the stairs amidst the sound of gunshots. 

Percy let out a pained groan as he tumbled down, head pounding with each step. The recording device under his collar was crushed under his weight. So much for that. 

As he reached the bottom, his mind kicked into overdrive. He needed to do something.

James couldn't rescue both him and Annabeth as well as arrest Mortelli. 

Proceeding to act like a rag doll, Percy waited impatiently for Thing 2 to approach him with his guard down, before he leaped off the ground and kicked him in the chest cavity. 

He grabbed the rickety bannister and ripped the post off, slamming it round the man's head. Thing 2 crumpled like paper, sprawled across the steps. 

Percy gave himself a second to admire his handiwork before he pulled Thing 2's gun out of his holster and started moving again. He was somewhere in the basement, and Percy had a gut feeling that Annabeth was down here too. 

The pounding footsteps above the ceiling told Percy that Mortelli had had more than two henchmen with him. He nervously hoped that James and Sabrina would be fine, and that none of the officers would get shot. 

As Percy searched the basement, he quickly took in the grooves of the gun. He'd never used one before, much less fired one, but it couldn't be that hard right? 

His finger hovering above the trigger, Percy leaped out from behind a wall. 

"Hey!" A short, stubby Colombian man said, outraged as he fumbled for his one gun. 

Behind him was a familiar blonde, tied to a chair and looking absolutely furious. 

"Annabeth!" Percy aimed as best as he could with his gun and pressed the trigger. 

Nothing happened. 

"Damn it!" Percy hissed under his breath as he ducked behind the wall, narrowly avoiding a bullet that pelted to the floor beside his foot. 

He shook the gun in his hand frustratedly. "Why won't you work?" Percy muttered under his breath. 

Footsteps could be heard as the Colombian man moved towards him, gun probably at the ready. 

At the last second, Percy leaped out, tackling him to the ground and knocking the gun out of his hand. He reached up with his own gun, pounding the hilt of it against the back of his head and knocking the man out cold. 

"Oh my God," Percy stared in surprise as the man went down. "I didn't think that would work." 

His gaze flickered to where Annabeth was tied up, a piece of cloth around her mouth as a gag. 

"Jesus," Percy murmured, dropping his gun and hurrying over to release her. He loosened the gag. "I would've shot him, but the gun wouldn't work." 

The gag dropped and Annabeth hit him with one of her glares. "The safety was still on, you idiot." 

Percy stared dumbfoundedly at her. She didn't seem to roughed up, except for a bruise on the cheek and a cut on her collarbone. Her homecoming dress was torn up at the skirt, and her hair was tangled as it hung down her front. 

Annabeth had never looked more beautiful. 

His hands fumbled to release her hands as he drank in the fact that she was okay, kneeling in front of her. 

"I thought you were dead," Percy said at last, when her hands were free. "I-I've never been so worried in my entire life." 

The words slipped out before he could stop himself. Annabeth's face crumpled painfully as she really, really looked at him. 

"I didn't think I'd make it," she blurted out. "I was so, so sure they'd kill me." 

One moment passed. A heartbeat of silence. 

Percy leaned forward and their lips collided, Annabeth gasping in surprise as his hands pressed against her back. 

Her hands tangled themselves in his hair as he groaned against her lips, the two of them moving like it was their last day on Earth. 

It was about a million times more passionate than their first kiss, and Percy was almost deliriously dizzy because of it. 

Eventually, Percy jerked back for air, both of them panting as they simply gazed at each other. 

"I love you," Percy breathed. "I'm pretty sure I only realised it about five minutes ago, and I'm sure as hell not expecting anything in return, but I can't keep pretending like I don't feel anything for you." 

He ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be saying this. We tried so hard to not make it weird after we kissed the first time, but it's been near impossible to be around and act like I only want to be your friend—"

"Percy," Annabeth interrupted. "You're a lot dumber than I thought if you didn't notice that I kissed you back." 

Percy stared blankly at her. 

"I've liked you for months," Annabeth confessed. "Before we even kissed." 

The words bounced within the walls of Percy's mind as he tried to process what she'd just said. His mouth hung open. "You were the one who said we should just be friends." 

"Because I thought you didn't like me!" Annabeth protested indignantly. She slapped a palm to her head. "We're so stupid. This whole time..." She trailed off, blushing suddenly. 

Percy felt his cheeks redden. "What?" 

"No," she yelped. "It's just—I'm still tied up." 

Percy felt his face grow even hotter as he hastened to untie her legs from the chair. Rising to his feet, Percy helped her up, clearing his throat. 

"So, uh, we both like each other," Annabeth voiced. 

"Yes, I think that was made pretty obvious by the fact that we just made out in a shady basement." 

"Percy!" Annabeth hissed, shoving him by the arm. 

Percy blushed. "Sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood." 

"Percy?" a voice echoed. 

"Damn it," Percy muttered under his breath. He spun around to face Annabeth. "We are definitely talking about this later." 

Before she could reply, Sabrina burst onto the scene, James at her heels and guns out. 

"Don't shoot!" Percy yelped. "Just us." 

James groaned. "Oh, thank God and Jesus and almighty Zeus. If you'd died I'm pretty sure I'd face suspension for weeks." 

Percy furrowed his eyebrows. "What?" 

"You must be Annabeth," James changed the subject smoothly, waving at her. "How, uh, how're you feeling?" 

"Pretty good?" Annabeth sounded more confused than Percy had ever seen her. "Are-are you the police?" 

"Detectives," Sabrina corrected. "I'm Sabrina, this is James." 

Percy could feel Annabeth's astonishes gaze boring into him. 

"Did you get Mortelli?" Percy asked hopefully. 

James winced. "Not exactly." 

Percy's jaw dropped. "He got away?" 

"We got one of his henchmen," James offered helpfully. "And your friend."

"Mortelli shouldn't bother you again, now that he knows you've got the police on your side," Sabrina reassured them. 

Percy frowned. "But he's still out there." 

James and Sabrina exchanged glances. 

"There is still what I suggested early in the precinct," James hinted. 

Annabeth's gaze flickered between them, realising that she was missing out on something. "What?" 

"Tell you later," Percy said hurriedly. He wasn't sure how much she'd approve of this. 

+++++

When they got back to the precinct, Percy and Annabeth were brought to the interrogation room by James. 

"I've always wondered what was behind the glass," Percy wondered aloud, glancing at the two-way mirror. 

"Maybe I'll show you one day," James suggested. 

Annabeth was skimming the documents in front of her. "So we'd be helping you in your case against Mortelli?" 

James nodded. "To testify as witnesses in court or give aid in finding evidence itself. You're over 16, so legally, you can do this without your parents." 

"Well, he got be stabbed and kidnapped me," Annabeth said slowly. "So, yeah, I'd like to see him rot in jail for a bit." She sighed the papers. 

She glanced over at Percy, who was hesitating slightly. It had been his idea in the first place, so what was he not telling her? 

"You'd still be allowed your usual rights," James added. "Like, you wouldn't have to tell us who sent you to Mortelli in the first place." 

Ah, Gabe. Annabeth quickly realised what this was about. Even after everything, Percy was still afraid of what his stepfather would do if their domestic abuse ever got to the police. 

She couldn't really blame him, but Annabeth had always thought that going to an official about it was the best idea. 

"Okay," Percy finally said as he wrote his signature on the line, a scrawl that barely read 'Percy Jackson'. 

The night flew by so quickly after that. Paperwork was tiring in itself, but giving her statement was even worse. Annabeth was bored with having to be absolutely clear with every inch of it — she'd been blindfolded for most of the three hours. 

Close to 2am, Annabeth was slumped on the bench outside the precinct, ready to crash and sleep for 12 hours straight. The ordeal she'd been in hadn't fully registered in her mind. 

An abduction by a crime lord wasn't something everybody experienced. Annabeth wonders if she could use it in her college essays. 

"Hey." Percy sat down next to her, looking just as exhausted as she felt. 

Annabeth leaned against his shoulder, closing her eyes. Percy froze up, but Annabeth was too tired to second-guess her actions. His arm hesitantly moved to hang across her shoulders. 

"Are you okay?" Percy asked quietly. "No one's asked you that yet. I know you're not injured, but—"

"I'll be fine," Annabeth said truthfully. And she meant it. Once she got over the initial shock of it, she'd be okay. "Thanks for coming to get me. I know how dangerous it was for you." 

There was a pause. "I'll always come get you, Annabeth." 

Annabeth felt a small smile form on her face as Percy clasped her hand in his tentatively. 

"We haven't even talked about it yet," Annabeth murmured. "The kiss." Another thing she was still reeling from. 

Pining after a boy for nearly half a year only to realise that he was in love with her? Now that was a surprise. 

"You asking me out?" Percy said lightly. 

"Yeah," Annabeth said with a laugh. "I am. You free this Sunday?" 

"Wow, so romantic." 

"Oh, shut up. I can still take it back." 

"No, seriously," Percy insisted. "I'm swooning." 

She sat up and looked at him, waiting expectantly. 

"Yes, I'll go out with you," Percy said overdramatically, grinning like a madman. "You might have to text me tomorrow morning to tell me so I don't think this was a dream." 

"I'll leave you a voicemail," Annabeth told him. "And I'll remind you everyday." She sighed happily. "Not a dream, Percy." 

He hummed in agreement. "Not a dream."


	29. The Careers Convention

"So," Percy trailed off uncertainly, looking just about everywhere except at Annabeth. 

"So," she repeated similarly, fiddling nervously with her hands. 

It was their first official date; coffee at Walter's. Pretty fitting. 

Annabeth had underestimated how weird it would be. Sure, they were making the jump from friends to a couple, but she hadn't expected it to be this hard. 

Some of the most random conversations of her entire life had been held with Percy. Now that they were dating, it seemed like they were both a whole lot more jittery about the whole thing. 

Annabeth was deathly worried she'd mess it up like the rest of her relationships, and Percy looked as pale and jumpy as a ghost. 

"Why is this so weird?" she groaned. 

Percy released a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God, I thought it was just me." 

"It shouldn't be like this, right?" Annabeth waved her arms around helplessly. "I mean, it should be easy — smooth. We've been friends for a year now; we hang out all the time alone; how is this any different?" 

Percy scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm now incredibly aware that you're my girlfriend. Girlfriend, and I have had my fair share of bad relationships, so don't blame me if I'm a little nervous." 

"As my boyfriend," Annabeth pointed out. "Maybe you should listen to me and stop drinking coffee?" 

"Coffee is, like, 50% of who I am at this point." 

"Caffeine dependency," Annabeth noted sarcastically. "Healthy." 

Percy chuckled. "Alright, you can save the glares. I feel like I'll be seeing a lot more of them from now on. How's things at home?" He frowned. "Your dad's back, isn't he?" 

Annabeth pulled a face. "I can't even remember when that used to be a good thing." 

It was Saturday evening, the day after the entire Mortelli fiasco. Annabeth's sleepover at Piper's had involved an interrogation tougher than than the detectives', and hours upon hours of beauty sleep. 

Her dad was back in town for the weekend, so family dinner and movie night was in order. 

Annabeth had arrived home, all pumped up with her renewed appreciation for life and her mind giddy with the idea that Percy was her boyfriend, only to walk into a warzone at home. 

The first warning had been Bobby and Matthew playing video games in the living room, the atmosphere more subdued than usual. 

Then Annabeth entered the dining room to start setting table, accidentally interrupting a fight between her parents. 

"You're never around, Frederick!" Helen shouted. "You leave on business trips just to be away from me!" 

"So what if I care about my career?" Frederick snapped. "It's important to me." 

"What about your kids?" Helen demanded. "They should be just as important to you as your work! I'll retract everything if you can tell me what's going on in just one of their lives' right now!" 

The two of them had promptly stopped short once Annabeth arrived on scene, but she'd already overheard enough. After stammering out a few "sorry"s, she retreated out to the living room. 

"That bad?" Percy asked warily. 

Annabeth sighed, prodding at her ravioli. "Yep. I wish they wouldn't fight in front of my brothers. It's not good for them to be around this much arguing before they're even teenagers." 

"I'm sorry," Percy tried. "I don't really know what to say..." 

"It's okay," she said sincerely. "There isn't really anything anyone can do about it. But I just hope they make up before he leaves again on his business trip. Every time he leaves without resolving the issue, it gets worse. I wish they'd just face it already." 

"Oh, this is such a depressing topic," Annabeth complained. "Let's talk about something happier. Nothing sad tonight." She smiled. "It's our first date." 

"There was a time when I never thought this would happen," Percy recalled. "I'm still in disbelief, by the way. Still can't imagine why you'd want to date me."

"Don't say that," Annabeth insisted. "I don't pine over just anyone for months." 

Percy stared at her. "Months? How long have you liked me for?" 

Annabeth winced. "Um, I don't know, really. Probably longer, but I only realised it after my date with Luke." 

Percy gaped at her. 

"I rushed out on him," Annabeth reminded him. "That's when I realised that I'd choose you over just about anyone else." 

"I should really thank him," Percy muttered under his breath, though he couldn't help the smugness seeping through. 

"Don't be mean," Annabeth laughed. "He really isn't that bad. I think he's dating Thalia, actually. Well, they had a fling over summer." 

Percy shuddered. "They'd be a terrifying duo." Thalia scared him. A lot. She had spiky black hair and blue eyes that looked into his very soul. 

"What about you?" Annabeth asked curiously. 

Percy winced. "Um, well, longer than you." 

"Seriously?" she asked in surprise. 

"Since Rachel broke up with me," Percy explained. 

"Rachel?" Annabeth almost shrieked. "I was still with Brady — that was ages ago!" She shot him a death stare. "Why the hell didn't you say something? We could've gotten together so much sooner!" 

"I didn't think you liked me back!" Percy protested. 

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Did Rachel break up with you because of me?"

Percy gave her a sheepish look. 

She groaned in reply. "Oh, I feel so bad now." 

"Don't be," Percy assured her. "Rachel was the first one to tell me I liked you. That was when I realised that she was right." 

Annabeth eyed him suspiciously. "So when Rachel told me, all those months ago, that you hadn't told me the real reason why you broke up..." 

"Pretty much," Percy finished off for her, shooting her a guilty smile. 

"I can't believe I never knew," Annabeth sighed, still in disbelief. "Piper was right; we are stupid."

+++++

"Boo." 

Percy jumped slightly when Annabeth popped up behind him, smiling brighter than the sun. He grinned back at her, giving her hand a squeeze. 

They were in school for a career and college convention, which meant acting like they were just friends. 

All their experience with rumours and gossip had led to a mutual agreement to keep their romance under wraps for a little bit, just until they were stable enough that nothing could easily shake them. 

It also meant not telling their friends, as it was pretty difficult to keep a secret amongst seven people. 

Even thought they'd only been dating for a week, Percy was finding it more and more difficult to pretend like they weren't. He wondered why in the world they hadn't done this earlier; realised their feelings. 

Dating Annabeth was pretty much the best feeling in the world. Despite his constant worries about messing up, Percy got more comfortable around her each day. 

Their first date may have started off rather disastrously, but ended on a great note. Percy even kissed her at the end of the night, albeit it wasn't as romantic since they hadn't just escaped death, but he still had to admit that it was pretty good. 

It killed him that he couldn't tell everyone about it. He was happier than he ever expected, much less fathomed a couple of months again. 

"Any ideas?" Percy asked, gesturing to the many tables of career options and colleges. 

Senior year meant "taking charge of their future", according to Mr Brunner, their principal. The Careers Convention was an annual event within the school, and aimed to get students thinking about their aspirations. 

Annabeth sighed as she scanned a pamphlet about being a chef. "None whatsoever." 

"What? Annabeth Chase doesn't have a plan?" Percy shook his head. "My life is a lie." 

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. 

"I'm kidding," Percy protested. "But seriously, I thought you'd have it all planned out. Weren't you set on becoming an architect?" 

Annabeth shrugged. "I was. But I've come to realise that I'm not so much of an arts and history person. Plus," she paused. "It doesn't make that much of a difference in the world. I mean, I want to do something where I know that I helped make someone's life better." 

Percy flashed her the leaflet for 'Medicine'. "What about a doctor?" 

Her thoughtful expression caught him off guard. "Maybe. Pays well, very respectable." 

"You're not that science-y though, are you?" Percy guessed. 

"This is impossible," Annabeth grumbled as she yanked the leaflet away and set it down. "How do people ever decide?" 

"I honestly have no idea," Percy admitted. "I think I'm pretty set on majoring in Biology, but I don't exactly want to do that or the rest of my life. It's pretty boring in terms of the jobs it leads to." 

Annabeth flashed the pamphlet on doctors at him.

"Oh God, no," Percy snorted. "I'd be terrified of accidentally killing someone all the time." 

"Yeah, I don't know if I'd trust you with a scalpel," Annabeth informed him. "Keep sharp objects away from young children, right?" 

Percy picked up a small brochure labelled 'Engineering'. "Hey, you like maths." 

Annabeth mused, "I have always liked the idea of attending M.I.T." She jerked her head in the direction of Leo, who had permanently stationed himself at the Engineering booth. "I think Leo's got his heart sent on mechanical engineering." 

"Must be nice to be so sure about your life," Percy said enviously. He glanced around at the other students milling about. 

Fortunately, he and Annabeth weren't alone in their predicament. Majority of their classmates weren't sure what to do either. 

However, there were the few who knew exactly where they'd be in ten years' time. 

Piper had already decided that she wanted to do something in business, or more specifically, fashion marketing. She had a good eye for trends and insights. 

Hazel had a passion for history, so she mainly hovered by the booth on archaeology and palaeontology. 

Frank was the only one of his friends who wasn't aiming to attend university. His dream had always been, since Percy had met him, to be a firefighter. Percy had never expected him to actually follow through on it, but here they were. 

Jason was browsing the fair, more inclined towards the degrees in design and, ironically, architecture. Apparently all those years of Annabeth spouting random facts about architecture really got to him. 

"Any colleges you have your mind set on?" Annabeth asked. "Other than NYU." 

"NYU's the dream," Percy reminded. "But probably somewhere local." He shuffled his feet back and forth. "I don't want to leave my mum alone." 

Annabeth gave him a sympathetic look. "I'd hug you if we weren't around so many people right now." Percy laughed as she leaned into his side as discreetly as possible anyway. 

"What about you?" Percy waved a Princeton leaflet in her face. "Ivy League?" 

"That's the dream," Annabeth echoed his previous words. "I've wanted to go to Yale since I was a little girl. It's where my dad met my mum." 

Percy raised an eyebrow. Annabeth never spoke about her real mother. He understood that, seeing as his own father passed away a long time ago during an accident involving two ships at sea. 

But Annabeth's story was different. Her mother had left her with her father and hightailed it out of there as soon as she could. Annabeth had never met her mother, to Percy's knowledge. She hadn't wanted Annabeth. 

Percy wished Annabeth's mother could see that she'd missed out on raising the most incredible person he'd ever met. 

"You'll get there," Percy assured her confidently. "And you're gonna have Harvard and Standford all clamouring to get you too." 

Annabeth shot him a humorous smile. "Thanks."


	30. Seven Minutes In Heaven

Beckendorf eyed the circle, earning wary looks from the rest of his friends. It was a party at Silena's this weekend, and it was time to play some tipsy Truth or Dare. 

Connor Stoll was in a hula skirt, and Piper couldn't stop laughing from where Leo was perched daintily on her lap. 

Beckendorf was notorious for his knack for giving terrible Dares or Truths to torment his friends. 

His gaze landed on Percy, who had, up till now, been quite safe. All he'd had to do was dunk his head in a bucket of ice water. 

"Percy," a mischievous grin spread across Beckendorf's face. "Truth or Dare?" 

Percy studied his expression hesitantly. "Um, Dare," he said. 

Beckendorf leaned back on his elbows with a laugh. "I dare you to do 'seven minutes in heaven' with Annabeth." 

An eruption of "ooh"s and whistles from the group followed. Percy caught Annabeth's eye across the circle; it seemed it was just as difficult for her to keep her smirk hidden. 

"Well, if it's a dare," Annabeth shrugged, getting to her feet. 

"Yeah," Percy feigned a wince. "What a shame." 

Annabeth nudged his foot with a glare. Be more discreet, her look ordered. He was going to give them away, and Annabeth did not spend the last two weeks throwing off suspicion only for Percy to blow their cover. 

Percy tried his best to ignore Rachel's piercing look of suspicion. 

"Right there," Silena gestured to the door, her uncontrollable smile matching everyone else's. 

She stepped into the small room after Percy. It was the Beauregard's laundry room, a countertop hanging above the washing machine. 

As Percy locked the door with a click, Annabeth set her phone down next to her, the timer on 7 minutes, and nimbly hopped up to sit on the counter. 

"Dared to make out with my boyfriend," Annabeth coyly raised an eyebrow at him. "Boy, are they stupid." 

Percy drifted forward to stand between her thighs, palms splayed on the counter outside of her hips. 

Pulling him in, Annabeth kissed him, and she was reminded of the first time they'd done something like this. 

It was one week into their relationship. They'd gone on dates, had movie nights at home, hung out at Walter's, but everything had been very PG so far. 

Annabeth wasn't quite sure how to broach the topic. It was an awkward one; Percy was much more experienced in this than she was, and even though she knew that he wasn't the kind of person to break up with a girl over sex, she was afraid she wouldn't live up to his other girlfriends. 

So, when he came over to her house on evening, both her parents out and her brothers at another soccer camp, Annabeth was nervous, to say the least. 

They hadn't had the talk yet. Percy hadn't even mentioned anything remotely related to it, and Annabeth couldn't think of a way to bring it up.

As they sat on the couch, streaming an episode of Lucifer from Netflix, Annabeth couldn't stop glancing over at him. She loved the show, but Percy was more distracting. 

His hair was all messy post-shower from swimming practice, and his eyes were slightly unfocused from fatigue. 

When Percy shifted, the hem of his shirt rode up to reveal the skin just above the waistband of his jeans, and Annabeth almost lost it. 

Get it together, she chided inwardly, trying not to blush. 

This continued for another ten minutes; a private hell just for her. Percy was her boyfriend and one of her best friends. She should be able to talk to him about this. 

Before she could lose her courage, Annabeth grabbed the remote and switched the TV off. 

Percy jolted in surprise. "Wha—"

Annabeth leaned over and kissed him. They'd gotten better at it over the week. Neither would stiffen in shock anymore, and Percy responded almost immediately this time. 

Their lips moved in sync, until Percy drew apart, gasping for breath. "Woah, woah, what brought this on?" he asked in surprise. 

Annabeth felt the blood rush to her cheeks. She'd just jumped Percy on her couch. Oh, God. 

"I just—We haven't—" Annabeth tried, but all that came out were unintelligible phrases. She groaned frustratedly, shoving her hair behind her back as she slumped against the arm of the couch. 

Percy turned to face her, searching her gaze. "Oh!" he suddenly said with realisation. His cheeks reddened, understandably, and he scratched the back of his neck in a way that made Annabeth think, adorable. 

"I mean," Percy hesitated. "It's only been two weeks. And well, are you sure?" 

Annabeth swallowed. That was the thing. She wasn't sure. "I don't know," she admitted. "I've never..." She trailed off awkwardly. "And you're, well, you." 

"Annabeth," Percy interrupted. "We don't have to have sex right now." 

"Oh, thank God," Annabeth said in relief. 

"Did you really think that was important to me?" Percy said incredulously. 

"I don't know," Annabeth said helplessly. "I've never done anything like that before. And it's you, so this is pretty much uncharted territory." 

"Well," Percy chuckled. "We aren't gonna do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Seriously, take your time." 

Annabeth tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. There was something nagging in her mind. 

She took a deep breath. "I don't think I'm ready for any of the serious stuff yet," Annabeth reasoned. "But, um, I definitely...want to..." 

Percy stared at her blankly. 

She blushed furiously. "Well, I-I look at you and I just want to kiss you. For hours. Like, I could literally do it all day." 

Percy's mouth fell open as his eyebrows shot skyward. 

"That sounded so bad," Annabeth said embarrassedly, burying her face in her hands. "Sorry," she said, her voice muffled. 

When she lifted her head warily, Percy was just grinning madly at her. He really did look like an idiot in love. 

"We can take it slow," Percy suggested. 

Annabeth looked up at him. "Are you sure?" 

"Annabeth," Percy told her firmly. "If you asked me to jump in front of a moving truck, I would probably do it. So, yes, I'm sure." 

Annabeth felt her feelings for him grow just a tiny bit more. Everyday, she told herself it was impossible to like him even more, and she proved herself wrong every time. 

"You are so great," Annabeth informed him. "And," she added. "We, um, we don't have to take it that slow." 

Percy disguised a laugh as a cough, but pulled her in for a kiss. Annabeth deepened it, moving onto her knees so that she was straddling him, pressing him into the couch as they made out. 

Her arms explored his shoulders — she could've sworn they ran on for miles — and his hands gripped her waist. 

Annabeth smiled against Percy's lips. A week wasn't much, but 'practice makes perfect'. And it brought them here, at Beckendorf's party, making out without the knowledge of their friends in the next room. 

Add that to the list of things Annabeth loved about Percy; how much he respected her. 

+++++

"This was the best idea you've ever had," Annabeth sighed blissfully as she stretched out on the sand, the sun giving her a youthful, golden glow. 

She could almost hear Piper's smirk. "I know, right?" 

Actually, Percy was the one who had first brought it up. Over the summer, he and his mother had driven up to Montauk and rented a cabin for two weekends. 

Piper then suggested that they do the same over the term break, before it got too cold to do so. 

The blazing sun streaked the sky pink and orange as it set, reflecting on the lapping waves of the ocean. 

"So, you're telling me, that that doesn't affect you at all?" 

Annabeth opened her eyes and raised herself onto her elbows, following Piper's gaze. It was Percy, standing in the water, laughing at something Jason had said. Hazel stood beside them, splashing around with Frank. 

"You're single and you have eyes," Piper demanded. "How have you not yet hit that?" She squinted her eyes. "Are you sure that you're not a lesbian?" 

Annabeth's eyes glazed over for a moment as she remembered her and Percy making out in his bedroom a few days earlier. He was getting pretty good at taking her shirt off smoothly. "Definitely not a lesbian." 

Later that night, they sat round the fireplace. It was broken, but set the mood anyway. 

Annabeth was sitting next to Percy on the couch, and it took all of her self-restraint not to lean into him. They were sharing a blanket though, their legs secretly tangled up underneath it. 

Keeping their relationship a secret really was starting to bother her, since Annabeth was pretty much bursting to tell her friends. She wanted to be able to be with Percy, even when they weren't alone. 

God, I love you. 

Annabeth almost let out a frightened yelp when the thought echoed in her head. 

When the hell had that happened? 

Percy had told her he loved her before they even got together. It was in the cellar of Mortelli's warehouse, which hadn't exactly been the most romantic scenery. 

They hadn't talked about it since, though Percy had reminded her that she shouldn't feel obligated to say it back. 

But somehow, over the last month, Annabeth really had fallen in love with him. She wasn't quite sure when exactly it had occurred. But over time, it just...happened. 

Annabeth glanced at him. The dim lights of the cabin illuminated his features, his eyes glinting under it. Should she tell him now? 

The idea instantly flopped when she recoiled just thinking about it. 

Annabeth had never said "I love you" to anyone except for her family before. Maybe once or twice to Piper, Jason, and Leo, but never to a boyfriend, and not in that way. She'd never been in love before. 

Percy, despite everything he'd been through with relationships and Gabe, loved way more easily. It was evident, when he told her after their second kiss, that he had already fallen for her. 

Annabeth wasn't like that. She didn't know why. It wasn't like she closed herself off on purpose. She just happened to be more reserved than Percy. 

Piper, Leo and Jason had definitely helped with that. That was why she had always been friends with them. They made her a better person. 

But Percy was different. He brought out a side of her that Annabeth didn't even know existed. When she was around him, she loved more easily too. 

So, she could exactly just spring something so significant on him. No, she needed to do the three words justice. 

I love you. 

Annabeth's heart did a little dance in her chance, and she was glad it was dark enough that no one would notice the faint flush in her cheeks.


	31. Three Words, Eight Letters

Annabeth laughed as she bodysurfed the wave that came by. 

Her head plunged underwater, sand scraping her cheeks and the sound of rushing bubbles plummeting past her ears. 

The muted sounds of cheering suddenly burst into deafening shouts as Annabeth resurfaced with a splutter, kneeling on the shallow sea floor as she burst up triumphantly. 

"I think I ate about half of the beach," Jason groaned, having done the same thing as her. 

Annabeth gently tried to pick out the pieces of hair plastered to her temple. Her hair was up in a ponytail — which would be a nightmare to untangle later — but some of it had come loose. 

"Need help?" a voice chuckled. It was Percy, wading up to her. Absently, he brushed her hair behind her ear and tucked it there. 

Annabeth smiled in response. The past few says with their friends had been incredibly, but stolen moments with Percy were few and infrequent. 

"Hey, lovebirds!" Leo yelled from the shore. 

Annabeth turned around, making sure to step away from Percy. 

"Barbecue's almost ready!" came Leo's shout. 

Annabeth shot Percy a wary look. "Really? Leo manning the grill?" Leo had a thing for fire, which often caused some dangerous accidents. 

"Yeah." Percy frowned. "That probably wasn't a smart idea." He couldn't help the grin that broke across his face as Annabeth brushed off the dried salt from her arms and pulled a face as she spat out salty water. 

"Hey, do you want to..." Percy jerked his head in the direction of the woods next to the cabin. 

"Murder woods?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow. 

"It's nice," Percy promised. "I know this place like the back of my hand." He leaned in. "There's a small watering hole nearby that I want to show you." 

Annabeth smiled slyly. She threw a glance over her shoulder to see their friends running inside the house to towel themselves dry and make sure Leo didn't burn the place down. "We can spare a few minutes," she relented, grabbing his hand and running through the water. 

Percy stumbled as she dragged him along, laughing as the water erupted in massive walls everywhere they stepped. The ocean had always been Percy's happy place. Ever since he was a kid, Montauk had been the one place Gabe couldn't touch. 

The two of them sprinted through the woods, not even stopping for the rest of their clothes, Annabeth having to stifle her laughs as they tried to be as discreet as possible. 

When they were out of earshot of the house, Percy took the lead, directing her through the turns that would bring them to the watering hole 

"Oh, it's beautiful," Annabeth gasped as they came to a stop beside a deep, small pond-like feature. 

Percy released her hand, giving her an excited grin. "It gets better." Knowing just which sharp pebbles to avoid, Percy scaled the boulder standing to the side of the watering hole, about seven feet above the water. 

"Is that safe?" Annabeth asked incredulously. 

Percy shrugged. "Well, if it isn't, it's a bit late now." His mum had introduced him to this place the first time they came to Montauk — when he was 6. 

Mentally bracing himself, Percy leaped off the rock, the running start sending him flying into freefall as he whooped, plunging into the water with a large splash. 

Clear water blurred Percy's vision as he sank steadily, his feet ricocheting off the floor. The boost sent him springing to the surface, exploding with a spray of freshwater. 

Annabeth leaned against the boulder, her eyes crinkling with amusement. Panting, Percy paddled towards her, resting his arms on the grass as she sat down to be nearer to him. 

Percy lifted his head up to gaze at her. "I've never shown this to anyone," he admitted. "My mum and my dad met here during summer when they were younger. She showed this to me when I first came here, but I've never told anyone about it." 

He blushed. "Well, until now." 

Percy realised that she hadn't said anything for a while, and glanced back up to study her expression. Annabeth looked like she was ready to blurt out something, but was holding it back. 

"Once I hit my head on the rock when I fell," Percy offered, then promptly winced. He rambled when he was nervous. 

Annabeth opened her mouth, then closed it. "That explains a lot," she finally said. 

Percy grinned widely, the mood lightening. 

Annabeth's gaze flickered to the boulder and back to him. 

"Back up a bit," she said breathlessly. 

Percy's brow furrowed. "What?" 

But Annabeth was already nimbly swinging herself up onto the boulder, using jutting edges for handholds. 

"You should take up rock climbing," Percy called as he treaded the water, floating backwards. 

He was answered by Annabeth appearing from behind the boulder, her grey eyes flashing wildly under the stars. At some point between the beach and here, sunset ended and nightfall began. 

"You sure?" Percy yelled. 

Annabeth winked at him. "You gonna catch me?" 

Percy's eyes traced the distance between Annabeth and the water. "Um..." 

He watched with anticipation as Annabeth inhaled sharply and stepped off the precipice, her arms in the air as she hurtled downwards. Even for a split second, the expression of astonishment was frozen on her face right before she fell into the water next to him. 

Annabeth burst up, her hair soaking up the entire ocean. "Oh my God, that was a rush!" 

Percy laughed as she clung to his arm like a koala bear. "Can you not touch the ground?" he laughed. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes and she shifted her hands to circle round his neck. Percy moves sluggishly through the water, but it seemed like Annabeth was graceful no matter where she was. 

Her legs wrapped around his torso, crossing on his back. Annabeth flung her hair behind her back, chest heaving from the adrenaline. 

"Did I mention that you look beautiful today?" Percy informed her. 

"Multiple times," Annabeth laughed. Her grey eyes sparkled, and moonlight reflected off her wet curls. 

Percy had never seen her look more alive. 

+++++

"Now, where were you two?" 

Annabeth and Percy froze simultaneously, towels draped across their shoulders. 

"Swimming," Annabeth lied through her teeth, flashing Piper her most innocent smile. "Didn't you see us?" 

Piper shrugged. "We were busy barbecuing in the backyard. Come and join us?" Her hair was dry and curly without her usual braids, evidence of her Cherokee heritage. 

Annabeth saw Percy visibly relax as they both nodded, having thrown off suspicion. 

"Close one," Percy whispered as they trailed after Piper, drying themselves off. 

Annabeth shot him a smirk. "Worth it." 

There was a chorus of "Percy!" and "Annabeth!" when they entered the backyard. 

"Leo made s'mores!" Hazel said in delight, raising up hers. 

"She's never had one before," Leo explained. "It's a crime against humanity!" 

Percy sat down on the floor, offering the foldable chair to Annabeth. "Or you could sit down here on the floor with me?" he hinted. 

Annabeth smiled. "Nice try." But she did let him lean against her legs, hopefully as platonically as possible, for the sake of their friends. 

They sat by the bonfire till the moon was high in the sky, and Percy's watch beeped to signal midnight. 

Annabeth leaned down on his shoulder, murmuring, "Happy anniversary." She could see him smile, face illuminated by moonlight. 

Raising her head tentatively, Annabeth could see the rest of their friends slumbering soundly wherever they were sitting. She caught Percy's eye, then gestured to their friends. 

After draping blankets over them, she and Percy paced towards the house, hands linked as Annabeth felt her heart skip a beat. She thought that after a month together, she wouldn't get nervous around him anymore, but that feeling of butterflies never went away. 

"I got you a present," Percy said embarrassedly. 

Annabeth's eyes widened. "But-but I didn't get you anything!" 

"No, no, it's fine," Percy reassured her, delving into his bag. Easing into the couch, Percy shifted to face her as Annabeth sat cross-legged beside him. "I got it over summer, but I didn't have the guts to give it to you." 

Annabeth watched curiously as he pulled out a small, flat box. She untied the ribbon quickly, pulling open the cover to reveal a thin silver bracelet, a small pendant dangling off of it. 

"Oh, it's gorgeous," she breathed. 

"It's a charm bracelet," Percy explained. He averted his gaze as his cheeks flushed red. "A charm for every month we're together." 

Annabeth lifted her head to stare at him. "That's the most romantic thing ever, Percy," she wrapped around him. "Thank you." 

When she held the one charm on the bracelet to the light, she could see the small owl engraved on it. 

"Well, I hope we get to fill it up," Annabeth informed him, clasping the bracelet onto her left hand. She hesitated. "And, well, I don't have a present, but I do have something to tell you." 

Percy looked at her expectantly. 

She fiddled nervously with her hands. "I realised it yesterday night. And I kept waiting for the perfect moment to tell you. At the beach, at the watering hole; I freaked out and couldn't say it." Annabeth paused. "Then I realised that it doesn't matter where or when I said it. All that matters is that you know that I love you." 

She searched Percy's expression when he went silent. 

"I love you too," Percy said quietly. He softly kissed her on the lips, pulling her into a one-sided hug as they lay against the couch. 

"I never thought we'd get here," Annabeth thought aloud. "I mean, we walked around our feelings so much. And then there was Mortelli. And the people at school. But I'm so glad that we did get here." 

Percy hummed in agreement. "Hell, Annabeth, I don't know what I'd do without you," his tone practically shone with sincerity. 

Annabeth leaned into his side. "I think we can tell the others," she said cautiously, glancing up to watch his reaction. 

Thankfully, he nodded. His brow furrowed. "How?" 

Annabeth shrugged. "If the situation presents itself, I guess." She ran a hand through her hair. "Oh, I'm supposed to text Calypso." 

"She knew?" Percy said, bewildered. "I thought you didn't tell anyone." 

"I didn't. She guessed." Annabeth winced. "Apparently I'm not as good as hiding my feelings as I thought." 

"His it from me," Percy murmured. 

"Yeah, but," Annabeth grinned. "You're just oblivious."


	32. The Blackmailer

"So, Percy, do you want to come to mine after school to work on that English project?" Drew drawled, resting her arm on the table as she looked up at him through her lashes. 

Annabeth gnashed her teeth. She'd pulled out a book when Drew arrived suppress her anger, but her eyes couldn't focus on the words when another girl was flirting with her boyfriend. 

"Um, we could just do it in the library," Percy replied lamely, looking stricken and ready to dig himself a hole. 

The rest of their friends sat around the lunch table, shooting Percy smug looks. Annabeth schooled her face into a nonchalant expression when Piper glanced over at her. 

"Oh, the library's boring," Drew insisted. "We can even have a picnic in my yard and do it." She paused, feigning thoughtfulness. "Y'know, it's a date!" 

Percy was looking paler than a ghost. "Uh—"

"Oh, and you can stay for dinner after too," Drew offered. "Maybe hang out a bit—"

Annabeth slammed her book down on the table. "He said 'no', Drew," she snapped, her eyes widening when she realised what she'd just done. 

Jason shot her a 'are you jealous?' look. 

Too late now. 

Drew turned on her coolly. "I think that's for Percy to decide." She snorted. "What are you? His girlfriend?" 

Annabeth glared at her. "Actually, yeah, I am." 

Frank's jaw dropped, mimicked almost exactly by Leo. Drew looked like a mix between horror and the urge to scream. 

"So you can leave now," Annabeth prompted, clenching her fist. "This one's taken." Her eyes followed Drew's retreating figure as she flounced off back to her table, probably ready to spew a bunch of nonsense to her friends. 

"Good riddance," Annabeth muttered under her breath, pulling a face at Percy. 

"Tell me about it," Percy groaned. "God, I thought that would never end." That earned a laugh from her. 

"Excuse me?" Piper's voice was about an octave higher than normal. "What the hell just happened?" she practically shrieked. 

Annabeth winced. "Um..." 

"That was a lie, right?" Jason looked like he was about to pass out. "To-to get Drew off your back?"

Percy scratched the back of his neck. "Well," stammered. 

Hazel's gaze was flickering rapidly between the two of them, as it had finally dawned on her. 

"No, we're dating," Annabeth admitted. "We have been for a month." 

"What?" Now it was Leo's turn to shriek. "What?" 

"Honestly, we're surprised no one guessed," Percy tried to lighten the mood. 

Frank stared at him. "What?" he demanded. 

Percy shot Annabeth a helpless look. 

"We just didn't want the whole school finding out," Annabeth said apologetically. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you guys." Their blank stares remained. "Can you...say something?" 

Hazel looked ready to slam her head against a wall. "So, you're," she said slowly. "Like, girlfriend and boyfriend?" 

"Yeah," Percy said awkwardly. 

"Have you gone on dates?" That was Frank. 

Annabeth nodded. 

"Oh my God." Piper's hand flew to her mouth. "Montauk?" 

Annabeth gave her a sheepish look. 

Leo gave them curious looks. "Have you had sex?" 

Annabeth was about to say "yeah" before she comprehended the question. "No, no!" she yelped. "Oh my God, Leo!" she said frustratedly, burying her face in her hands. 

"I'm sorry," Leo protested, though he didn't sound that sorry. 

Annabeth groaned into the back of her hand as Percy looked like the blood rushing to his head was about to make him explode. 

"Are you in love?" Hazel amended. 

"I guess," Annabeth mumbled. 

"Reassuring," Percy muttered. She kicked him in the shin. 

If Annabeth had thought that gossip had been bad before, it was nothing compared to now. Word travelled fast, and by the end of the day, pretty much everyone knew that she and Percy were dating. 

"People keep telling me 'congratulations'," Annabeth informed Percy frustratedly as she slid into the seat next to him. She scanned the room, seeing curious looks sent her way. "It's not like a won a prize." 

"I mean," Percy interjected. "You kind of did." He shot her a beaming grin. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Alright, stop it already." 

It was Math, their final lesson of the day. Annabeth was glad; she was so dizzy from all the questions her friends had bombarded her with. 

Calypso's texts never ended, and she could've sworn her phone had tried to commit suicide by vibrating itself off the table. 

"Drew's not bothering me anymore," Percy told her. 

Annabeth hid a triumphant smirk. "That's nice." 

Percy studied her expression. "You were jealous, weren't you?" 

Annabeth blatantly ignored him, staring straight ahead at the board. "I don't get jealous," she insisted.

Percy grinned. "Mhm, sure. So should I go find Drew now?" 

Annabeth glared at him. 

"I'm kidding," he whispered with a chuckle, sliding his hand into hers under the table. 

Annabeth felt her breath catch in her throat when Percy's hand brushed her thigh. "Don't flirt with me in class," she hissed. 

Percy stifled a smile. "Why not?" 

"Because I might have to drag you off to the bathroom in the middle of the lesson." 

"Annabeth! Percy!" the teacher barked. 

Annabeth and Percy sprang apart. She tried to school her expression into one of nonchalance, while Percy failed miserably. 

"Do you have something to share with the class?" the teacher demanded. 

"Nope," Percy popped the 'p' in a tone impertinent enough to make Annabeth want to punch him. 

The teacher eyed them sternly. "Good." 

Annabeth tried to keep her cheeks from going to red as she felt Jason and Hazel's gazes boring into her head from the back of the classroom. 

+++++

"You guys seem different." 

Percy straightened his posture. He and Annabeth were at the police station, talking the case over with James and the other detectives. 

As James studied their expressions curiously, Percy swallowed.

"Oh, they're dating, you dumbass," Sabrina grumbled as she walked past them. 

James' eyes lit up. "Oh!" 

"Told you I'm a better detective," Sabrina called over her shoulder. 

James rolled his eyes. "God, Sabrina gets on my nerves sometimes." He leaned over the desk, chugging down a few gulps of coffee. 

Annabeth stared at him. "Isn't that hot?" 

"You get used to it," James said with a shrug. "We work long hours." 

Percy flipped through the case file James had given them. It wasn't all the information they had on Mortelli; they didn't have the clearance for that. But it was enough. 

"Anything you think could be of help?" James asked again. 

Percy glanced at Annabeth. His brain was already throbbing from having to read all that. Annabeth, on the other hand, had her nose scrunched up in concentration, the way it always did. 

"Well," Annabeth said hesitantly, shooting Percy an uncertain look. "Finding Mortelli's links to other people could give you more leads — more people you could question." 

James frowned. "That would be helpful. But we don't have any way of finding his links. Mortelli's been doing this for over half a decade. He always cleans up after himself." 

"But not this time, right? Not with us," Annabeth continued. 

Percy met her gaze. Oh, she wanted him to tell James about Gabe and however he was linked to Mortelli. 

James seemed to be able to read the tension in the room. "Um," he paused. "Y'know, what? Percy, why don't we chat in the interrogation room for a bit? It's a little more private." 

Percy obliged, though he threw a glance over his shoulder to see Annabeth watching him warily. 

They reached the room, and Percy slumped into the chair. 

"I know we promised not to ask about this 'blackmailer' of yours," James sighed. 

"It's fine," Percy said dismissively. "Annabeth seems to think it's a good idea." 

"What's the person holding over you?" James asked. 

Percy winced. "I can't say. He's...dangerous." 

James fiddled with his pen. "I could help, you know. I'm a detective. If this needs an investigation..." 

"No," Percy blurted out in alarm. "No, it's fine." He paused tentatively. "But the connection to Mortelli was through loan sharks. Or maybe Mortelli was the loan shark." 

"So, the blackmailer," James said slowly. "Let's just call him 'Harry'." 

"Not a very threatening name." 

"Bartholomew?" James tried. He frowned. "Wait, no, forget that. I don't want to learn how to spell it." 

"Gordon," Percy offered. 

"Sounds like some kind of dad in cargo shorts," James snorted. 

Percy averted his gaze. 

James cleared his throat. "So, Gordon." 

"He borrowed some money from someone," Percy explained. "I don't know exactly who." 

James sifted through a few sheets of paper Percy hadn't seen earlier. "Mortelli does have some existing contacts that could do that. Loan sharks tend to work in league with crime bosses." He shrugged. "Guess they have some things in common." 

"Like talking about abducting people over brunch," Percy muttered. 

"Is it sensitive?" James questioned. "Whatever information Gordon's got on you." 

Percy hesitated again. "It's not information," he finally said. 

James sighed. "Yeah, sorry for asking so much." He stood up, gathering the papers. "Okay, this is my number," — he scribbled something on a small piece of paper — "You can text or call me if anything comes up. With the case or with," he paused. "Gordon." 

Percy's brow furrowed. "Really?" 

James gave him an empathetic look. "Yeah, as much as I mess around, I got into this job to help people," he sighed. "I'm looking out for you, Percy. Don't be mad about it." 

"No, no," Percy stammered, shoving the number into his jacket pocket. "I—" he swallowed. "Thanks, Mr Hart." 

"Please," James pulled a face. "That makes me sound old. Just call me 'James'." 

Even after James left the room, Percy remained in his chair for a few more minutes, turning the piece of paper over in his hands.


	33. Playing Matchmaker

Annabeth caught a glimpse of her reflection in the sliding glass doors as she waited patiently for them to open up. 

Percy's hoodie hung down to her thighs, her light-washed denim skirt peeking out from under the hem. Her hair was up in a ponytail today, pulled together with a blue scrunchie to match. 

The November air was chilly, whipping at her bare legs. Annabeth made a mental note to bring tights with her in the future. 

Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside, gazing around the stadium with wide eyes. She'd never done this before; supporting a boyfriend at a sports game. 

Piper and Jason had briefed her — they had a long-running tradition of wearing the other's team clothing at games like this. Percy's hoodie had already been sprawled across her couch, so Annabeth took it upon herself to wear it to his swim meet today. 

Percy was representing the school team, so Beckendorf, Travis and Clarisse would be swimming alongside him, as well as two other teammates. 

Her friends were already seated in the bleachers; taking up the front row. 

Rachel and Silena held up a large "Go Goode!" banner between them, Katie struggling to raise the centre part up. Annabeth's gaze flickered to Katie's nice outfit and make-up; the blue eyeshadow couldn't just be for the school. 

A few teachers milled about — Coach Hedge, who was also in charge of swimming, and Paul Blowfis. Annabeth was surprised to see Percy's English teacher getting roped into chaperoning this event. 

Another familiar face in the stands was Sally Jackson, who sat beside Hazel, beaming proudly. 

Annabeth followed her gaze to see the swim team gearing up on the right side of the pool, and the opposing team beside them. Waving wildly, Annabeth laughed to herself when Percy caught sight of her and grinned madly. 

"Hey, Sally!" Annabeth said nervously as she slid into the seat between her and Hazel. She hadn't seen Percy's mother since they began dating, and she wasn't sure if Percy had mentioned it. 

"Annabeth!" Sally said excitedly. "Oh, it's nice that you're here too!" 

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Annabeth reassured her. 

Sally shot her a furtive look. "Congratulations, by the way." 

Feeling her face grow warm, Annabeth ducked her head embarrassedly. "Thanks." Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth glimpsed Mr Blowfis sitting in the next row up. "Mr Blowfis! Hi!" 

Paul waved cheerfully. 

"Oh, are you the swim coach?" Sally inquired. 

"Oh, no," Paul chuckled. "I'm the English teacher — Percy's, actually." He smiled. "You must be his mother." 

"Sally Jackson," she introduced, shaking his hand warmly. "Nice to meet you..." 

"Paul," he finished. 

Annabeth released a sigh of relief as she excused herself, squeezing past the rest of her friends to take the vacant seat between Leo and Frank. 

"So, what exactly is this competition?" she said breathlessly once she was seated. 

"It's one of the qualifying rounds," Frank explained. "Hazel and I have been coming to these for years." He had an unreadable expression on. "Trust me, it's a lot more interesting than you'd think." 

Annabeth shrugged. "Well, okay then." She leaned over the railing, scanning the stadium. "The other team looks good." 

"It's okay, no eliminations today," Hazel informed her. "They're just here because they're nearby the swim centre." 

Annabeth squinted to read the board. "JFK High School," she winced. "Oh, God, any chance there are two schools named after JFK here?" 

Leo regarded her warily. "Why?" 

"Brady goes there," Annabeth groaned, eyeing the stands. Sure enough, in the stands sat her ex-boyfriend, who thankfully hadn't seen her yet. It wasn't like their split had been bad, but it was never nice to see your exes, especially when you were with someone new. 

Leo pulled a face in response. 

Brady chose that moment to spot her in the bleachers, a confused look passing over his face before he waved at her. Annabeth waved back as politely as she could, smiling. 

Her gaze drifted to the poolside, where Percy was looking between them with understanding. He had never met Brady, but had seen a couple of pictures back when they were dating. 

Annabeth pulled out her phone to text Percy. 

don't freak out

He replied almost instantly. 

relaxxxxxxxxx  
you're here with me, aren't you?

Glancing up, Annabeth rolled her eyes when she spotted Percy's smirk. 

"Ooh, it's starting!" Hazel broke into her thoughts. 

Annabeth set her phone down after a final text. 

good luck

The first four swimmers lined up. Travis and a girl with dark hair were swimming for their team, and the other two were from the other school. 

Annabeth found herself instinctively turning around to see Katie straightening up eagerly as the horn sounded and the swimmers dove in. 

Oh. Annabeth felt the corner of her mouth quirk up. How hadn't she seen it before? Katie liked Travis. It was adorable to see how she looked at him when he wasn't looking. 

Annabeth turned back in time to see one of the opposition's swimmers finish first, with Travis close behind, and the other two a short lag after. 

Clarisse came second in her meet, her teammate right behind. 

As Percy readied up for his turn, Annabeth heard Frank mutter to Hazel, "Do you think they'll be shocked?" 

Annabeth had the time to think, 'what?', before Percy gracefully sunk into the waves. 

Her eyes widened in astonishment. It was as if Percy was made to swim. His lithe movements resembled a sea animal, and he cut through the water too quickly for Annabeth to keep track. 

Percy was pushing off the wall to finish the second half of the lap before the other swimmers reached it. 

"Jesus Christ," Annabeth murmured, letting our an incredulous snort. 

Of course, the swimming medals in his room had to come from somewhere, but seeing him actually swimming was...something else. 

Percy emerged from the water, wetness clinging to his skin as he pulled his swimming cap off to release his hair, flicking water droplets in every direction. 

"It's like a shampoo commercial," she heard Leo grumble. 

Annabeth couldn't help the grin breaking across her face as she cheered as loudly as she could for him. Beckendorf came in a far second lace, the other swimmers at his heels. 

Overall, Percy had the shortest time, seconds ahead of his competitions and teammates. 

As Percy draped the towel across his shoulders, Annabeth turned to Frank. "Did you know he could do that?" 

Frank chuckled. "There's a reason we always come to his swim meets. He never loses." 

+++++

"Please make sure he doesn't accidentally drink anything," Hazel pleaded, gesturing to her half-brother Nico, who was a year younger than them and looking fairly lost among the older seniors. 

She was hosting a celebratory party following the successful swim meet today, and Annabeth had seen her stressing out as she rushed around the house. 

The boy wore a black graphic tee with a skull on it and matching ripped jeans. A large jacket practically swallowed him whole. 

"On it," Annabeth promised her, grabbing vodka-Coke mix and sidling up next to him. "Hey, I'm Annabeth, and you're Nico, right? Hazel's brother?" 

Nico nodded, eyeing her with a mix of curiosity and something Annabeth couldn't name. He glanced down at her beer. "Hazel knows that I have drunk alcohol before, right?" 

Annabeth hid a smile. "Right." She popped open the lid of a beer bottle and handed it to him. "Don't tell her." 

They clinked drinks as Annabeth glanced around the room. "Did Hazel not let you invite any of your friends?" 

Nico shrugged. "I don't really have any." 

Annabeth frowned. "Seriously?" She winced. "Sorry, that sounded mean. I meant, well, you seem pretty cool." 

"The kids in my year don't like me," Nico admitted. "They think I'm creepy." 

Annabeth huffed, "Well, they're dumb, clearly." She read the label on his shirt. "My Chemical Romance?" 

"Very typical, I guess," Nico remarked half-heartedly. 

"Piper likes them," Annabeth informed him. "You should talk to her about it. I mean, you're welcome to hang out with us if you want." 

A ghost of a smile tugged at Nico's lips. "Thanks?" he sounded confused. 

"Boo," a bright voice sang. 

A rush of wind to Annabeth's right alerted her to Will Solace stepping up beside them. 

"Any song requests?" Will questioned. 

Annabeth folded her arms. "You won't take any of mine anyway. 'Don't Start Now', I told you." 

Will pulled a face. "All that does is remind me of Tik Tok." His blue eyes zeroed in on Nico, curiosity overtaking his features. "I don't think we've met?" 

Annabeth watched with increasing amusement as Nico stared blankly at Will. 

"This is Nico di Angelo," she interjected. "Hazel's half-brother." She resisted the urge to step on Nico's foot. 

Will flashed one of his signature smiles that were brighter than the sun. "Hi," he said shyly. 

Annabeth felt her eyebrows shoot skyward. Well, she'd always known Will was gay, but she'd never have guessed that Nico was his type. 

"Nico would probably have some song requests," she hinted. 

"Right-yeah," Nico stammered. "Um." 

Annabeth dropped her empty cup in the bin and promptly left the conversation, feeling proud of herself. 

Her gaze landed on Travis, who was leaning against a wall, stealing glances at Katie. Beckendorf stood next to him and talked, unaware that Travis was completely ignoring him. 

"Two for two, I guess," Annabeth muttered under her breath as she approached him. She deserved an award for this. 

"Travis," she interrupted. 

Travis blushed darkly. Beckendorf rolled his eyes. "Oh, he's always like this. Don't even try pretending you weren't just staring at Katie." 

Travis scratched the back of his neck embarrassedly. "I-I wasn't," he tried feebly. 

"Please," Annabeth told him dismissively. She glanced to where Katie was sitting next to Rachel. "You should go over and talk to her." 

Travis snorted, "You're joking, right? The only time she ever speaks to me is to insult me." 

"Girls are different," Annabeth tried her best to explain. "It's our way of flirting." 

"By insulting someone?" Beckendorf repeated. "That doesn't even make any sense." 

"Drew must be in love with me, then," Travis said helpfully. 

"Just go," Annabeth insisted exasperatedly, giving him a friendly shove. 

Travis pitched forward, stumbling toward Katie even as he threw uncertain looks over his shoulder at them. 

"Look who's playing matchmaker." 

Annabeth laughed as Percy popped up beside her and kissed her on the cheek. "Some people are just so blind it pains me," she told him. 

Beckendorf gave her a look as if she'd just said she wanted to eat a smelly shoe. "You're joking, right?" 

"She's right," Percy agreed. "It's, like, everyone can see it, except for them." 

"I'd punch you if we didn't need you for football season," Beckendorf informed him.


	34. The Meaning of Family

"I feel sick just looking at it," Piper groaned. 

Annabeth grabbed her friend by the wrist and dragged her towards the ticket booth. "Come on! This is fun!" 

Every year, a travelling carnival would set up rides and cafés near their town for a couple of months. Rollercoasters were the one thing Annabeth and Percy could agree on, and they'd convinced their friends to tag along. 

Unfortunately, Piper didn't really appreciate the sentiment. 

"Six tickets," Hazel warned. "There's no way I'm getting on that death machine." Annabeth had decided to cut Hazel some slack, since she threw up whenever she was on a boat, much less a rollercoaster. 

"You two are adrenaline junkies," Piper said accusatorially, glaring at Percy and Annabeth. "Monsters." 

"I like rollercoasters," Leo volunteered with a mischievous smirk. 

"Shut up," Hazel said with an eye-roll. 

Hazel, Piper and Frank — who stayed for company — ended up waiting below in a café while the other four queued for the rides. 

Annabeth wasn't quite sure where she'd acquired this obsession with rollercoaster. To be completely honest, she should probably be more afraid of them, knowing exactly how they could fatally injure themselves and the numbers of accidents that occurred on them, but Annabeth enjoyed the rush of the wind as they hurtled down the tracks. 

As the carriage streaked through the air, Annabeth could hear Percy and Leo's mad whooping from behind, and she would've joined them, but she couldn't stop laughing at Jason's petrified expression. He wasn't as crazy about rollercoasters as she was, but he didn't mind them. Usually. Apparently this one was too much for him too. 

After Jason threatened to throw up if he went on one more ride, they retired to joining the others in the café. Percy brought Annabeth to one of the stands, insisting on bringing the giant blue penguin home. 

Annabeth watched amusedly as he missed just about every time. It wasn't this fault; she'd done a paper on rigged carnival games last year for AP Maths. 

She waited until he'd spent about $15 on the game before she intervened, because she was cruel like that. Annabeth laughed as she made every shot, not missing the irritated look that passed over the booth manager's face. Yeah, maths did come in handy. 

So Percy spent the rest of the day hugging the penguin as if his life depended on it. Annabeth found it adorable; the stuffed animal was almost bigger than his torso. Since he refused to release it, they didn't go on anymore rollercoasters, instead spending time on the other attractions. 

Eventually, they convinced Hazel and Piper to try the Giant Drop, which, in hindsight, was a terrible idea. Nevertheless, Leo did get some great pictures of them screaming aboard the ride. 

November air was chilly as December and snowstorms crept up on them. Annabeth was a big fan of winter and snowball fights, but Percy much preferred the warmth of summer and being able to swim every day. It meant that he grew glummer as the temperatures dropped, and events like this helped cheer him up. 

"You know, I hate that you look good in that." 

Percy's eyes sparkled smugly. "I know, right?" 

Annabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Percy had been cold, and ended up borrowing her flannel as an extra layer. Somehow, he managed to make it look good. The sleeves were rolled up to show his forearms and the material fluttered in the wind. 

"Okay, stop here!" Hazel ordered. Groans were elicited from the others in response, which she pointedly ignored as she reorganised them to stand with their backs against the setting sun. 

"If I could go back in time, I'd punch Nico before he could give her that camera during the summer," Percy deadpanned, arm slung around Annabeth's shoulders. 

"Smile," Hazel said menacingly. 

Annabeth couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in reply, even as she plastered a beaming grin on her face just as Hazel's blue polaroid camera went off with a flash. 

Hazel plucked the printed photo with a satisfied hum, flourishing the plastic in the air. "Beautiful," she declared contentedly. 

+++++

"Thanks for the ride," Annabeth sang as she climbed out of her seat, shoving the car door on her side. Jason waved goodbye to her as she shouldered her bag and started up the path to her front door. 

A smile stretched her cheeks enough to hurt, but Annabeth was too busy basking in a rare good day to care. Sometimes it seemed impossible to enjoy the little things when Gabe threatened Percy everyday, but they were making the most of it. 

Of course, all traces of that evaporated the moment Annabeth stepped through the door. As crazy as it sounded, her shoulders drooped from an invisible weight, her smile rapidly fading. 

"Hello?" she called, her voice small and dripping with wariness. The tension in the atmosphere was palpable and thick enough to cut with a knife. 

Her footsteps were the only sound in the entire house as Annabeth hesitantly traced a path down the hallway. Her gaze flickered to the living room; pillows were strewn everywhere, a glass of juice and completely melted ice abandoned on the table. 

Annabeth swallowed, padding towards the dining room. The entrance loomed into view, two of the chairs drawn up with her parents slumped in either one. 

"What's going on?" she voiced bewilderedly. 

Helen had darker circles under her eyes than Annabeth had ever seen, and her father was still in his work clothes despite it being well past 8 o'clock. 

Her father rubbed a hand against his head as he sighed. "Annabeth..." 

"Are you going on another work trip?" Annabeth frowned. "You just got back yesterday." 

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Annabeth," he repeated, fatigue in his voice.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Ananbeth hated that her voice wavered. 

Helen's brown eyes flickered up to her. "We're getting a divorce." 

A dull throb started to nag in the back of her mind. Annabeth stared, stunned to the point of speechlessness. 

"What?" Annabeth's voice felt detached from her body.

"We're separating," her father explained slowly. "We've been trying to ignore it, but the last two years have seen us drift apart." 

"Drift back together!" the words tumbled out amid Annabeth's frantic flail of her arms. She frustratedly shoved the hair out of her face. "No, but I don't—I don't understand—"

"We don't want to hurt you, Annabeth," Helen pleaded. 

"No," Annabeth blurted out. "If that was true, you wouldn't be doing this. I can't believe that you're—" She brushed a palm over her face. "You know what? Forget it," her voice cracked. Annabeth whirled away, disappearing up the stairs in a flurry. 

The voices of her parents echoed in her head as Annabeth sank into her mattress, eyes glued to the ceiling as she felt tears brim. 

Logic and her brain told her she was acting like a spoilt child — and Annabeth knew that, she knew that she was being unreasonable — but she was allowed to be! Something like this had been so out of the blue, like an asteroid prepared to blow up her entire world. 

No, no, that wasn't true. 

Annabeth hated the part of herself that was still thinking properly. There had been signs. Months where her father only stopped by for a total of three visits between business trips. Helen sitting on the couch, looking both exhausted and depressed. 

When she was a kid, all her friends' parents were getting divorced. Once she turned 16, she figured that it wasn't something she'd have to worry about — they'd made it this far, they could keep it up. Apparently that wasn't the way it worked. 

Annabeth wanted to scream. She wanted to punch something. Most of all, she wanted to cry. Maybe eat some chocolate. 

The telltale creak of the door alerted Annabeth to Helen at her door. Her eyelids fluttered open as she stubbornly refused to avert her gaze from the ceiling. 

"I'm sorry," Helen's disembodied voice said. 

Annabeth gritted her teeth. There were a few beats of silence as the tension leaked from her jaw. 

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Annabeth relented with a disgruntled mutter. "I'm acting like a child." 

"You have the right to," Helen said quietly. 

Annabeth reluctantly turned her head so she could see her stepmother leaning against the doorway, looking down at her with concern. 

"So I'll never see you anymore?" she demanded. "You'll just duck right out of my life." Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut. "I know that sounds selfish—"

"It's fine," Helen murmured. "We decided that it would be your choice." 

Annabeth picked at the threads on her bedsheet. "What about Bobby and Matthew?" 

"They're coming with me. Frederick can't take care of them while he's travelling. But you, on the other hand, are old enough." Helen bit her lip. "Look, if you choose your father, you'll still see me. You'll come over for dinners, and weekends." 

Annabeth swallowed. "So I have an impossible choice to make. I have to choose between my parents. Helen, I can't—I can't do that."

"I'm sorry, honey," Helen said forlornly. To her credit, she sounded about as dismayed as Annabeth. "You know I hate this situation as much as you. But we're not rushing you into anything. Take all the time you need." 

"I just," Annabeth returned to staring at the ceiling. "I need to think about it. It isn't—It's not an easy choice, Helen." 

There was a soft "I understand" before the door shut behind her and Helen left her room. 

Annabeth closed her eyes. If anything, having a choice was worse than not having one at all. No one should have to choose between their parents. 

Her father was, well, her father. He'd raised her since she was a baby, all by himself for the first three years before Helen came into their lives. And she'd always be his little girl. Annabeth loved him, loved the way they could go on about architecture for hours, loved how he ruffled her hair affectionately whenever he got home from work, even though she was almost 18. 

Then there was Helen. Helen, who didn't share a single drop of blood with Annabeth, but who was more of a mother to her than her biological one. Who'd parented her since she was 5 and kissed her forehead when she fell and comforted her when she thought her life was crumbling. Helen, who'd stayed so strong for her kids while her husband gallivanted around the globe. 

Annabeth wanted to kick herself for never noticing. Maybe she could've done something to stop this. To repair the relationship. Even as the thought entered her mind, it was instantly combatted a strict 'no'. 

This was the case of two people growing apart. Annabeth had really thought that, even with almost all of the marriages she'd seen amongst adults failing, her parents would be different. 

Before she was even conscious of what she was doing, Annabeth had sat up and was dialling Percy's contact in her phone. It rang for two seconds before Percy picked up with a pleasantly surprised "Hello?" 

"My parents are getting divorced." Annabeth winced at the bluntness of her tone. "Sorry for...springing it on you. I just—I really need to talk to you, and are you free, because I can call you back later or—"

"No, no," Percy interrupted her ramble. He sounded as anxious as she felt. "Are you...are you okay?" 

Annabeth gnawed on her bottom lip. The urge to just give the usual excuse faltered. This was Percy. "No," she admitted. "I have to choose who I'm going to live with, and I don't even know where to start." 

There was a pause. 

"Well, first things first, I can't really relate to your position right now, because my step-dad is—"

"A raging drunk who deserves to rot in jail?" Annabeth finished. 

"That's one way to put it." 

Annabeth felt her cheek twitch despite herself. 

"But I can imagine it must be difficult," Percy tried. "Do you want to...make a list?" 

"What?"

"Of pros and cons?" Annabeth could almost see him scrunching his eyebrows together. "Isn't that how to logically start things?" 

"This is a divorce, Percy," Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Not whether I should buy an Xbox or a PlayStation." 

"Okay, another plan then," Percy suggested. "Can I give you my perspective? As an outsider, and someone who knows you well — or, at least, I think I do." 

Annabeth hummed in agreement. 

"From everything you've told me," Percy said slowly. "Isn't Helen the clear choice?" 

Annabeth opened her mouth, then shut it again. "I thought you'd say to go with my dad." 

"Well, I'm sure lots of people would probably say that, given that he's a blood relative and all. But I've known you since middle school, and I've only seen your dad a couple of times. Helen was the one who came to all your school meetings and those prize-giving ceremonies where you won literally every trophy." 

Annabeth took in his words carefully. To be fair, a lot of what Percy said was right. And it made a lot of sense. Her father had barely been present for the last five years. Helen might not be her parent by blood, but she sure as hell was around more than her father was. 

Annabeth recalled the morning after she kissed Percy for the first time. She hadn't felt that sorrowed in a long time, and Helen didn't hesitate to ween her mind off of it with pancakes. 

"Wouldn't I be..." Annabeth hesitated. "Abandoning my father? Betraying him? I mean, I'm his daughter. Even if he isn't the best dad, don't I have a...duty, or something, to choose him?" 

"Blood doesn't make family," Percy reminded. "Hazel and Frank are more like family to me than Gabe will ever be. You get to choose your family, Annabeth." 

Annabeth traced out the watermarks on the ceiling. Percy was right, again. God, that almost never happened. 

He knew her better than she knew herself. But it was like hearing her thoughts voiced back at her. 

"Annabeth?" Percy's questioning voice drew it to her attention that she hadn't spoken for almost half a minute. 

"Sorry," she uttered apologetically. "Just thinking." 

"Call me back if you need?" 

"Thanks," she said wearily. "For everything." Annabeth swallowed. "I love you." 

"I love you too." He didn't even hesitate. "I'm here for you, okay?" The line clicked off into silence as Annabeth set her phone back on her bedside table. 

She folded her hands together as she leaned back into her pillows. It was a less impossible choice than she'd initially thought. But equally painful.


	35. SOS

Annabeth spotted the back of her father's head before he saw her. It was midnight, only a few hours after she'd been informed of their decision to split up. 

"Dad?" she voiced nervously, watching as her father turned around from his position on the couch. He'd yielded their bedroom to Helen and was currently residing in the living room while she got the guest room ready. 

Her father's eyes brightened when he saw her, and Annabeth felt her heart squeeze painfully at the smile lines that crinkled. "Annabeth," he said, agitation bubbling in his voice. "Um, did you need to talk?" 

Annabeth's hands were clasped together tightly as she nodded and slumped into the spot adjacent to him. "I, uh," she said tentatively. "I've made my decision. About who I'm going to live with." Taking a deep breath, Annabeth stared at her hands. "I'm going to stay with Helen." 

Her gaze flickered up just to see her father's crestfallen expression. 

"Dad, please, don't think this means I love you any less," Annabeth pleaded. "You'll always be my dad, and I love you, but Helen is...I just have to do this." 

Her father gave her a sad smile. "It's okay, Annie." 

Annabeth felt her eyes prick. She didn't allow anyone to call her 'Annie', but her dad was an exception. It reminded her of all the good times they'd spent together before he started travelling more often. 

"Remember when you brought me to that roller skating rink?" Annabeth said abruptly. Her father glanced up with puzzlement etched into his features. "And then, afterwards, we went to see 'Roman Holiday' at this old cinema." 

"That was before I met Helen," her father said softly. "You still remember?" When she nodded in response, he sighed, smoothing over a few strands of grey hair. "Oh, Annabeth, this has all brought it to my attention that I haven't been...the best parental figure in the last few years." He shook his head. "Scratch that — I've been a terrible father. I don't quite know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, I stopped spending time with my daughter, who is so incredible." 

Annabeth felt her cheeks warm. 

"I hope she knows that I'm so proud of the person she's become." He wrapped an arm around her as Annabeth allowed herself to sink into his side, closing her eyes. 

"I'll still get to see you, right?" Annabeth asked hopefully. "Holidays, weekends..." 

"Of course," her father chuckled. "I've cleared my calendar for the Thanksgiving weekend. How do you feel about coming to spend it with me?" 

Annabeth exhaled slowly. "I," she started. "I feel good about it." She returned the hug, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you, Dad." 

"I love you too," he whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. 

They sat there until the minute hand on the clock signalled 12.15am. Annabeth reluctantly shifted away. "I have to go tell Helen now." 

Her father gave her one last squeeze before she traipsed out, preparing to head to the bedroom. A part of her was sadder than she'd ever been, but the other half of her felt good about this; a refreshing start. 

<<< >>>

"So, how're you dealing with everything?" Percy sipped on his coffee, angling his gaze at her expectantly. 

Annabeth rubbed at her eyes. "Well, my dad moved out today. So I guess it's official." It had been two weeks since their declaration about the divorce, and things were starting to become a surreal reality. 

She was glad she had a good support system; her friends all had pretty difficult family backgrounds too, so she wasn't alone in this. Jason's parents had gone through a nasty divorce, so Annabeth was just glad her parents remained capable of co-parenting. 

Amid all the hubbub — Helen was keeping the house and picking up longer shifts at work, while her father was moving to a smaller place— she and Percy had hardly had a second to themselves. Annabeth found herself wondering how someone as perfect as him even existed; he'd actually offered to help out with chores — who did that? 

"What about you?" Annabeth asked. "Don't pretend that there isn't a massive bruise on your right shoulder — which, by the way, I'm still mad about because you didn't tell me about it." 

Percy flushed. "Oh, you saw that, huh?" 

"At least it isn't a cut," Annabeth tried to stay positive. "I mean, nothing too serious since the ribs incident." Percy winced at the memory. 

A clatter caught Annabeth's attention as her gaze sidled over to the man sitting at the next table over. He'd set down a mug of coffee and was sitting down, reading a magazine. 

"Percy," Annabeth said, her voice low and urgent. "Don't look now, but I think that man's following us." 

His green eyes grew stormy, but Percy adhered and didn't turn around. He released the handle of his cup and grabbed a cookie in an effort to remain nonchalant. 

"I saw him on the bus we took from school, but I didn't think anything of it. He's been here as long as we have," she said quietly. 

Percy swallowed. "What do we do?" 

"Well," Annabeth shrugged. "Usually I act like I'm calling someone on my phone — Helen or my dad — but seeing as I'm with you and he isn't scared off, I'm willing to bet that he isn't the normal creep." 

"The way this is so normal to you is scary," Percy whispered. 

Annabeth shot him a withering glare. 

"Sorry, right, matter at hand, our world is messed up," Percy muttered as he discreetly pulled out his phone. "You think he's one of Mortelli's?" 

"It'a not like there's anyone else out to kill us." 

"Don't even joke about that," Percy murmured, shuddering at the thought. Annabeth forced herself to drink her tea as Percy tapped away at his phone. 

The vibration alerted her to James' quick reply. "He's on the way," Percy whispered. "We're to stall the guy till they get here." He glanced around the coffee shop. "There are too many people here. Do you think he has a gun?" 

Annabeth waited until the man averted his gaze. Shooting a surreptitious look at him, she caught a glimpse of the thick jacket he wore. "Can't tell. It's possible. We could draw him out back. They could ambush him." 

Percy sent another message through to the detectives. "He said to wait for his signal." 

Annabeth felt the tension start to leave her shoulders. "Great," she murmured. "Now all we have to do is act normal." 

"Easier said than done," Percy muttered. "We're far from normal even on our good days." 

Annabeth had to make a conscious effort to keep her eyes from darting over time the glass doors every five seconds. They kept up small talk that was so ridiculously dull Annabeth couldn't believe that the stalker actually believed them. 

She broke off in the middle of a sentence about the lovely weather when Percy glanced at his phone. He nodded stiffly, and Annabeth made a show of getting up and pulling her coat over her shoulders. 

"Going to the bathroom," she voiced. 

Percy's gaze was piercing as he mouthed, be careful. 

She nodded infinitesimally before heading towards the back door. A strange sense of déjà vu rippled down her spine as she remembered the time Percy got hit with a glass bottle and called her down here. 

It was unbelievable to think that that had only been a year ago. It felt like an eternity. 

Annabeth silently prayed — despite the fact that she hadn't been to Church since her baptism — that she wouldn't get shot. It looked extremely painful in the movies. 

She didn't glance back to see if the man was following her, but when she stepped out into the chilly air, the telltale footsteps told her enough. 

"Why have you been following me?" Annabeth asked, spinning around once she was sure the door to Walter's had clicked shut behind him. "Who are you?" she demanded. 

The man's eyes narrowed at her boldness. 

"Please, forgive me for being mad," Annabeth resisted the urge to snap at him. "You kind of interrupted my date." 

The man opened his mouth to answer, but the doors slammed open, James and Sabrina bursting into the back alley to apprehend him. 

"NYPD, you're under arrest," Sabrina said authoritatively, grabbing the perpetrator's hands and pulling them behind his back. 

James quickly disarmed him — the man, in fact, had a small handgun in his coat, by God, they really needed better gun control — and started rattling off the Miranda Rights. 

Percy followed the other two uniformed officers who provided back-up. His gaze dived over her, and once he was sure that she was safe, he asked, "Did he say anything?" 

Annabeth shook her head. 

"He's armed, and connected to Mortelli, so we can take him in for questioning," James informed them. "Once we ID him, we can try get a search warrant for his place." He grinned. "Good job. You just got us a lead." 

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's some Nancy Drew stuff." 

James frowned. "Come on, couldn't you have used someone cooler? John McClane? Serpico?" 

Percy wrinkled his nose. "What?" 

"You haven't heard of—"

"Okay," Sabrina interrupted, alarmed. "Don't get him started or we'll be here till Christmas." Annabeth watched as she ushered Mortelli's man away, discussing orders with the other officers in hushed tones. 

"Right," James' outrage had mostly faded. "I should probably go do my job." He shot the two of them finger guns before he jogged back to his partner.


	36. My Future, Our Future

Percy glanced up at the clock and groaned internally. Why was it that, in class, time passed like a snail, but he could blink and miss his entire weekend? 

1 hour of the English lesson had been delegated to writing essays about their ideas for the future. It was a follow-up to the Careers Convention, and just the beginning of the responsibilities they'd take on in senior year. 

So far, exactly 9 minutes and 54 seconds of the lesson had passed, and Percy's mind was as blank as it had been at the beginning. 

He didn't know what to do. Truly. Most people, by this age, already knew the field they wanted to go into, or specific job. 

Casting a glance over his shoulder, Percy saw Reyna writing concentratedly, eyebrows drawn together as her neat scrawl covered the page. Of course, Reyna had always had a solid plan for her future — become a business executive, rise to CEO. 

Turning his head slightly, Percy saw that even Luke was writing proudly. Christ, if someone like Luke was better at this than Percy, what was wrong with him? 

Staring at the page in front of him, Percy turned his gaze to the prompts on the sheet. 

Think about...  
1) Subjects you enjoy  
2) What interests you  
3) Your goals in life

Yeah, Percy didn't have any answers for this. 

Start simple, he told himself. 

What subjects did he enjoy? 

English was fun, because Mr Blofis was a cool adult, like, one of the adults who didn't freak out over his ADHD and actually seemed interested in helping him. 

But the subject? A vivid mental image of reading Shakespeare for the rest of his life slipped into his mind, and Percy shuddered. 

Maths wasn't even an option. In fact, as soon as he thought about it, Percy almost laughed. He desperately wished one of his friends — especially Annabeth — was in his English class. Outsider input would be useful. 

Biology was an option, Percy supposed. He liked the subject, liked studying it — except that, he couldn't imagine himself doing it for a career. 

Biologist was too...boring. That was the word. Every career he'd been told about was too mundane. 

Moving on to the second question — 'what interests you?' — Percy paused. What interested him? 

Annabeth, he almost wanted to write. A smiling to himself, Percy made a mental note to tell her about it. 

Seriously though, what interested him? Swimming, but that wasn't a career option. The ocean, the sea, all that, had always interested him — but again, not as a career. 

Percy made a small note in the top right corner of the page; 'marine biology (?)'. 

Then, his goals in life. Holding in a derisive snort, Percy pondered over it. 

What were his goals in life? 

In the short-term, Percy wanted to go to college. Sure, lots of people didn't think it was essential, but he'd been saving up for this since he was a kid, and it had always been the best option to get out of Gabe's radius. 

Then, of course, his long-term goals; kick Gabe out. Stand up to him. Get his mother out of that house with that dead-beat guy and give her the world, because, frankly, she deserved it. 

So for that, he had to...make money. Yeah, this was going great. 

Percy buried his head in his hands. This was already more concentration than he was used. More thinking, Annabeth would tease. 

Okay, he could do this. 

Kicking Gabe out would require...what? Going to the police? The thought made Percy shiver. But then the image of James' face flashed through his head, and Percy paused. 

Huh. 

Detective. 

He stared at the page in front of him. It probably said something that 'Detective' jumped out at him more than any of the other jobs he'd heard of. 

James had offered to help him no matter what the situation was, and Percy appreciated it. And if anyone else was ever in the same situation as he was with Gabe, Percy would want to help them. Becoming a detective, joining the force, would enable him to do that. 

Below 'marine biology', Percy hesitantly wrote 'detective'. Now, that was an idea. 

<<< >>>

Tap. Tap. Tap. 

"Please stop before I punch you," Jason whispered. 

Annabeth ceased fiddling with her pen, flushing when her best friend shot her an exasperated look. 

"Sorry," she sighed. "I don't know where to start." Glancing over at Jason's work, Annabeth marvelled at how much he'd written in half an hour. Design and business, Jason had decided. 

Annabeth was exhausted from last night. She'd gone over for dinner at her dad's place, which had been fun — more enjoyable than any time she'd spent with him in the recent months — and only gotten home late. 

This new routine was difficult to settle into, but Annabeth had to admit that Helen and her father were much better off co-parenting out of a relationship. She could already see the changes in both her parents — Helen looking more awake and lighter, her father less tense and smiling more. 

They were still on good terms, of course, and Annabeth found that they actually got on better now than before. It was almost a month since they filed for divorce, and Annabeth surprised even herself when she said that she was feeling...good about it. 

But she was getting off topic. Her mind had been doing that — drifting away from the task at hand — for the past half hour, in a very Percy-like way. 

Truth was, Annabeth didn't know what she wanted to do. All her teachers had informed her that she had the academic potential to be a high achiever in just about any field she chose, all excited for her to choose theirs. 

Annabeth knew she had options — she was smart, and that tended to help in decisions concerning the future. But she didn't know what she wanted to do. Sure, people expected her to go into STEM, but things like engineering had never really interested her — those were much more Leo's thing. 

But she also wasn't that into the humanities or languages. Geography made her want to cry. 

So what did she want to do? 

Annabeth had written down a few notes beside the prompts. 

Subjects she liked (or didn't mind); History, Maths, English, Chemistry

What interested her; (she left that one blank) 

Her goals in life; good job security, good income, stability, an exciting career with room to grow

Annabeth paused. She wanted Percy in her life too, but she couldn't exactly write that. 

Annabeth didn't know how likely it was that she and Percy would last long, seeing as just about all the odds were against them, but she hoped they would at least give it a shot. 

She hated the idea of leaving him alone with Gabe, with all the things in his life she couldn't protect him from. 

Annabeth frowned. That was a goal, wasn't it? 

Help people, she wrote. Protect the people who can't protect themselves. 

Her gaze flickered back to her notes on the subjects she'd written. English, History, Maths and Chemistry were a large spectrum, but if she really thought about it, the first job that appeared in her mind was lawyer. 

Annabeth mulled over that for a moment. 

Law. She'd never really thought about that before, but it fitted everything she wanted perfectly. 

Good job security. Hell, lawyers earned more than most people. It required a high level of education, and it might sound lame, but Annabeth enjoyed learning about things that actually interested her. 

Political science was one of those. And lawyers aided in legal decisions, which meant that she'd actually have the power to help people like Percy. She was just a teenager now, but in the future, she might be able to make an actual difference in the lives of other people who experienced that kind of domestic abuse. 

Using her privilege and her brains to speak up for others was something Annabeth could see herself doing. It was the obvious choice, and for a moment, Annabeth wondered how she'd never even thought of it before. 

The career I've landed on currently is one in law, she wrote. It would enable me to help people, something that has become very important to me in the recent year. The subject itself also interests me, as a debate topic and in improving eloquent speaking skills. 

Once Annabeth got into it, her brain kicked into high gear and by the end of the hour, she'd written half a page more than Jason, who just shook his head at her in disbelief. 

"Good choice," he remarked when he peered over and read the first few lines of her essay. "I could see you as a lawyer." 

Annabeth smiled. "Thanks." Now that she had a solid career choice — which she had only become more sure of within the lesson — her brain bombarded her with a billion and one options for her future. Universities, jobs, an idea of what her 10-year plan would look like. 

When the bell rang, Annabeth exited the classroom, eyes searching for Percy as his own class filed out of the room next door to her. 

"Annabeth," his voice materialised, and Annabeth spun around to grab onto him, everyone being bumped along the corridor between the mad rush of students. 

"Hey," she said breathlessly. "What'd you write?" 

Percy grinned. "Detective." 

Annabeth arched an eyebrow. "Surprising, but it makes sense." Percy in the police academy — it made more sense than she'd expected. 

"What'd you put?" Percy asked curiously. "Something difficult and high-up, I'll bet." 

"Lawyer," Annabeth answered. 

"Look at that," he chuckled. "I was right." 

—*—

To all my wonderful readers, I just want to acknowledge that I do not condone the actions of the policemen who murdered George Floyd, nor the police brutality or unjust killings of black people all over the world. 

I made the choice for Percy's arc to reach his decision to become a police detective long before all this happened. He definitely wouldn't commit the same actions, and in my opinion, would help to weed out the bad cops in his ranks. He wouldn't tolerate any racial-induced violence or murdering people simply because of the colour of their skin. 

Don't ever think that his dream to become a detective means that he would accept any of that. 

Thank you, and I hope you understand that. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to put them below.


	37. The Bruise

The door clicked in a telltale sign that Gabe was home. Percy suppressed the dread that never failed to settle in the pit of his stomach. 

"Gabe?" he raised his voice tentatively. "I'm making lunch. Are you good with the usual dip?" His mother was at the candy store, covering a late shift for a coworker today. It was Saturday, but Gabe was supposed to be at work till evening today. 

Percy glanced at the clock warily. Annabeth was supposed to come over any minute now so they could head to the station together. 

When Gabe didn't reply, Percy forced himself to backtrack out of the kitchen, hanging up his apron in the process as he nervously peered out into the corridor. 

Gabe stood in the doorway, hulking figure contrasting against the sunset that was outside. His silhouette towered high, shadow looming dangerously across the doormat. 

But he was walking surely, steady footsteps, and there was no stench of alcohol; he was sober.

"Those bastards at work," Gabe growled, roughly tossing his shoes to the side. "He fired me. Fired me from my own appliance store." 

Gabe owned a chain of appliance stores. He inherited it from his parents, and it was responsible for all his unfairly-given wealth. The co-owner, Jared, was one of his poker buddies whom Percy had met before, and was apparently responsible for his foul mood today. 

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Gabe muttered under his breath as he stomped into the house, shoving his jacket onto the coat rack. His fury was palpable in the air. "Said I had all these debts to repay." His eyes narrowed. "No word from Mortelli yet?" 

Percy gulped. No, we're just trying to take down his entire operation. "No," he said instead, biting back the rest of his comment. 

The moment Gabe stepped forward, Percy flinched instinctively, and the man paused in his tracks. 

"I'm sorry," Percy blurted out. "He hasn't responded. I can try again — I'll go back, ask him—"

"Relax, kid," Gabe grunted, but his tone did nothing to relieve the tension. "Look, we all have our own sob stories. I won't ask you to explain yourself. And vice versa, you don't ask me. But," and something about the dull emotion in Gabe's eyes worried him, "I've got a hell of a lot of pent-up frustration." 

Percy saw it coming this time. 

The punch — the swing to his gut — came in the form of a balled up fist and an angry expression creasing Gabe's features. Of course, Percy's back hit the wall in a split second, his mind fracturing into jumbled thoughts and fears. 

The blow was painful, more so than usual since Gabe was sober, and Percy wasn't used to it. He'd never had to look Gabe in the eye before, knowing that this man knew exactly what he was doing — knew that he was hurting a 17-year-old — and liked it. And it terrified him. 

Intention and purpose were packed behind the punch, and Percy's knees almost buckled as the breath was knocked out of him. 

Clutching his abdomen, a cough wracked his lungs and rubbed his throat raw. 

Quick as lightning, Gabe's right hand came up and slammed him against the wall. Percy's head hit the concrete, his brain dizzy and feverish as black spots danced in his vision. 

"Kid," Gabe's voice was low, menacing, and sent a shiver down his spine. "I don't blame you for this — despite it partly being your fault for not securing the money — but hey, we're the men of the house, right? We gotta look out for one another. You do me a favour and don't tell your ma about this?" 

Air. 

Percy needed air. 

With his throat closing up from panic, Percy could only manage a weak nod, every nerve in his body screaming for him to run. 

Gabe's hand pinned him to the wall in a way that the heel of his palm dug into Percy's shoulder, and the spurt of agony was the only thing tanking him out of a daze. 

"Good kid," Gabe said begrudgingly. He released his grip, and Percy promptly slumped against the wall, legs weak and a wary gaze angled up. Gave slapped him on the back like they were old buddies before ambling off, disappearing into the kitchen, probably to get a beer. 

Before he could lie in a silent heap on the ground, Percy scrambled backwards, gripping the bannister of the stairwell like a lifeline as he stumbled up the carpeted steps to his room. 

When he crossed the threshold, Percy staggered over to his bed, sliding helplessly to the floor as he pressed his back to it. 

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. 

The sound of his heart was there. The sound his breathing was there; raspy and in short spurts. The movement of his chest telling him that he was, in fact, fine. 

But his brain screamed at him that it wasn't. You're not breathing, it yelled. Breathe, Percy, breathe. 

His next breath was not unlike a sob as Percy squeezed his eyes shut hard enough to see an array of coloured spots. 

The sound of a dull thud and pattering footsteps as the door was flung open. 

Someone grabbed his hand, knelt down beside him, fingers gently threading themselves between his. 

Percy's eyes sprang open; golden hair, lemons — Annabeth. 

Within a split second, her eyes raked over his crumpled form and her expression flashed from shocked, to downright murderous, to panicked. 

He opened his mouth to tell her that he was fine, that Gabe had barely touched him, that he wasn't hurt — probably, maybe, he didn't know — but the words caught in his throat. 

"I can't," Percy whispered, his voice strained and tight. "I don't think I'm breathing." 

And it sounded ridiculous, he knew, because Annabeth was there, and a part of his brain knew that he was, but the other half lagged behind, shouting at him to fix this. 

"Percy," came Annabeth' urgent, worried voice. "I think you're having a panic attack — hey, hey, look at me." She leaned down, gaze imploring but serious, determination drawing her eyebrows together. 

Percy's fingers slid over her hand to her wrist. Her pulse thrummed under his fingertips. Steady. Reassuring. 

He waited, and Annabeth waited with him. Kneeling down beside him, hands entwined and head angled towards his. Waited until his heartbeat slowed down to match hers. And he could hear again now that the blood wasn't pounding in his ears. 

And the irrational sense of anxiety was no longer a crushing weight on his chest. 

Annabeth didn't move, didn't speak, but after some time passed, she shifted to his left side, wordlessly curling up beside him. Percy shut his eyes and leaned his head into her shoulder. 

In the privacy and comfort of his own mind, Percy didn't have to worry about anything. 

+++++

Annabeth's hands were pressed flat against the steering wheel as she trained her eyes ahead. If she didn't focus on something else, she was inevitably going to turn this car around at a lightning pace — screw speed limits — and land Gabe Ugliano with the worst uppercut of his life. 

Percy had given her a brief explanation, whatever he could manage, and despite her reluctance to follow their earlier plans, he'd insisted on going to the police station anyway; they had an appointment with Detective Hart about Mortelli. 

It absolutely killed her to see him like this. Every time Annabeth thought that at least, if all else failed, Percy had her, and maybe that was enough or something, in the least, she was reminded that Percy went through things she could only ever imagine. 

What was it like not to feel safe in his own home? What was it like to be terrified every single time Gabe was around? 

Annabeth knew that it had been the foundation of their friendship — the entire reason she'd been so intent on helping him — but he never talked about it in as much detail. Maybe whatever she needed to know to determine how to treat his injuries, but Percy had never talked about it actually made him feel. 

Her gaze flickered to the overhead mirror. Percy sat in the passenger's seat, silent as he stared out the window, eyes following the passing trees. 

Something was different this time. 

Compared to other incidents — namely one involving a glass bottle — he didn't have much visible evidence of whatever had just conspired. 

"He was sober." 

Annabeth glanced over at him in surprise as they pulled into the police station. Percy hadn't said a word since they got into the car. He still wouldn't look at her, eyes focused instead on his hands folded in his lap. 

"He's never," Percy's voice cracked. "I always assumed it was the alcohol. I figured, no one could hate me that much, right? At least, not when they were thinking straight." He swallowed. "You know he was a good guy at first. Well, not good, but he didn't—he would give me chips if I came down in the middle of one of his poker games. The days he came home in a good mood were okay." 

"I guess I thought that, if he ever quit drinking, one day, it could go back to that. Or to something bearable." He looked over at Annabeth, expression so painful it made her heart ache. "That's not—it's not gonna happen now. I know that. I don't know why he did that earlier — frustration or a threat or just for kicks — but I've never been that afraid. He was in the army, before, and I know what he's capable of, and that I should hate him, but, God, the things he said..." 

He shook his head. "It made so much sense. He said it was my fault, and that he's just looking out for me — maybe trying to toughen me up, in a way—"

"No," Annabeth interrupted. "No." The one word was charged with more conviction than she'd ever felt for anything in her entire life. 

Annabeth pulled into one of the free lots and put the car in park, the engine quickly sputtering out. Twisting so that she was facing him, she urged, "Percy, never think that. There is not a single reason — not childhood trauma, not a bad day at work — that can excuse what he has done to you. Gabe has a twisted, sick sense of judgement, and the fact that he thinks what he does to you is right already vouches for what a terrible person he is. 

"You are never responsible for any of this — none of this is your fault. This is the result of a man who deserves to be in jail for his crimes. Someone I would give an arm and a leg to kick out of your life forever." Annabeth hesitantly reached out to take his hand, and Percy let her. "You do not deserve to feel lost and alone — he shouldn't get to make you feel that way. Never, ever think that." 

Percy didn't look like he'd fully regained his usual composure, but the way his shoulders sagged and his eyes were no longer clouded with an internal battle told Annabeth that, hopefully, her words had made a difference. 

She gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "You ready to go in?" 

Percy nodded and they climbed out of the car. Annabeth hovered protectively by his side — she knew Gabe was faraway, but it didn't dispel the nagging concern in her mind. 

Annabeth's gaze raked their surroundings as they entered the bullpen, waiting for James or Sabrina to fetch them. Now that she knew Percy aspired to be here in the future, she looked at the place differently. 

She didn't know how aware of it Percy was, but Annabeth suspected that he was so determined to protect his mother and his friends that he wanted to become a cop to do the same for others. 

"Ah, there are my two favourite teenagers," James declared as he walked up to them. "Sorry, I know that sounded really creepy, just ignore me. I've been working this uncrackable case for days—" The detective broke off as a frown slid over his expression. It looked foreign and strange on the usually upbeat man. 

Annabeth followed his gaze and felt dread start to pool in her chest. She hadn't noticed it earlier, too occupied with thoughts about Percy. There was a bruise on Percy's right shoulder, having quickly blossomed into a nasty discolouration of purple that peeked out from under his t-shirt, just stretching over his collarbone. 

James' brow scrunched as he eyed them both suspiciously. "What's that?" 

Annabeth's gaze flickered to Percy. She saw his jaw clench as alarm momentarily flashed across his face. 

Uh oh.


	38. Gabe Ugliano

Another beat of silence. 

"Is that a bruise?" James demanded. 

Annabeth felt a bolt of panic course down her spine. What were the chances that they could play it off as a hickey? 

"I fell," Percy said lamely, struggling to remain nonchalant. 

"You fell—"

"James," Annabeth interjected quickly. "You wanted to take our statements?" She shot Percy an alarmed look, which he returned. At least this seemed to yank him out of his reverie. She needed him thinking on his feet if they were going to hide this from a detective. "I'll go first." 

James blinked a couple times as Annabeth breezed past him towards his desk. Fortunately, he followed suit, still in somewhat of a confused daze. 

"That bruise," James stopped. 

"Please don't ask about it," Annabeth pleaded. She glanced over James' shoulder to see Percy sitting in the break room, waiting nervously for his turn. "I can't tell you anything. He won't—He doesn't want to—" Annabeth winced. She'd already said too much. 

James was silent for a few seconds as he sat down opposite her. "It's not that hard to guess what this is about," he said finally. "I'm a detective, Annabeth, you think I don't notice the way he clams up about it at the slightest mention?" 

"Any chance I could convince you it was a hickey?" Annabeth mumbled. 

James offered her a chuckle. "I won't press it," he promised. Hesitance flickered across his expression. "At the end of the day, it's up to him. We can't do anything unless he comes up to us with an actual, concrete statement." 

"I don't know much about it," Annabeth admitted. "I didn't even find out till about a year ago." 

James nodded. "It's tough with these situations. I've seen a couple kids come in with the same issues at home, and it never gets easier for me." He shrugged. "The one silver lining is that, with enough evidence, we can build a good case. So if he ever decides he wants...whoever it is, out, there's a good chance that it would work." 

"I'm worried about him," Annabeth confessed. "I mean, apart from obvious reasons, he's acting different. It's the fear more than anything." 

"Do you think he'll come to me about it?" 

Annabeth bit her lip. "I have no idea. He's always been insistent about dealing with this on his own. The only reason he even came to the police was because..." She faltered. "Because I was in danger." Annabeth stared at her hands. "If he goes to you about this, it'll have to be for him." 

She glanced up at James. "You have helped though. He's much more willing to trust you than he ever was with the police." 

"That's good," James offered. "It's the job, isn't it? To protect people." 

"He wants to be a detective," Annabeth informed him with a smile. "Percy, I mean. We had to write career essays at school." 

James grinned. "Sabrina's never gonna hear the end of this." 

They talked about Mortelli for another fifteen minutes. Annabeth could honestly say that she liked James. He was a good detective, a good person and was one of the few people who genuinely wanted to help Percy. 

After she was done, Annabeth returned to Percy, who immediately straightened up with panic. 

"Relax," she assured him, sinking into the couch beside him. "I threw him off. You're safe." 

Percy's shoulder's sagged. "Thanks," he said, relieved. "Did you tell him it was a hickey?" 

Annabeth smiled. "No, but I had the exact same idea." 

Percy hummed in agreement. "Great minds think alike." As he got up, Annabeth grabbed his hand hesitantly. 

"Percy," she called. He turned back expectantly. "Have you changed your mind? About telling James?" Annabeth stood up so that they were eye-to-eye. "I know you've always been worried about your mum, but I think we can trust James and Sabrina. They're professionals; they could get Gabe out of there and into a jail cell. He'd never be able to hurt either of you ever again." 

Annabeth waited nervously for his answer. This was the furthest she ever got; Percy tended to shut her down whenever it involved legal action. 

"I know," Percy's voice was barely above a whisper. He looked dejected, but, most of all, torn between decisions. "I know you're right." He stared at his feet. "And I thought about it. Really, really thought about it." He released a shaky sigh. "There isn't any real reason for me not to go to the police. But there's still this—this uncertainty. Like, I don't want to." 

He slumped back into the chair. 

"You're scared," Annabeth said gently, settling into his sided. She tentatively slid her hand into his. "Percy, it's okay to not be certain. That's understandable. But if you just push—"

"I feel like I'm betraying him," the words tumbled out, his voice wavering. "I feel like—I feel like I'm getting him into trouble. Ruining his life. I don't want to do that to anyone. Those years that he was nice to me; I've clung onto that for so long—" Percy squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't want to send that man to jail." 

Annabeth rubbed her thumb on the back of his hand, barely even realising what she was doing. 

"You shouldn't feel any responsibility for him," she said quietly. "He's a monster. He's manipulated you for years — he's hurt you and convinced you that it's your fault and that he's still a good person. He's not, Percy. Gabe Ugliano is a criminal, an abuser, and doesn't deserve to be within a kilometre-radius of you." 

Percy simply gazed at her wordlessly for a few seconds. "I don't know what a kilometre is," he admitted at last. 

Annabeth's eyes fluttered shut as she allowed herself a half-smile. 

"Thanks," Percy whispered. "For this—for everything." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before he got up. Annabeth swallowed. She had no idea if she'd changed his mind, and maybe she was imagining, but she thought that Percy's hands weren't shaking anymore. 

+++++

Percy followed James to the interrogation room, apprehension and nausea lodged in his stomach. He ignored it; this was the right thing to do. In the back of his mind, he could almost feel Annabeth's presence, and that was enough to make him want to smile. 

"That's a good girlfriend you've got there," was the first thing James said once they stepped inside and he closed the door behind them. 

Percy settled into the now-familiar metal chair.

"Yeah," Percy agreed. 

"She, um," James' eyes flickered to the bruise again. "She told me some things about it. But, like I told you before, I won't press the issue—"

Before Percy could lose his courage, he blurted out, "You should." He took a deep breath. "I mean,I'm ready to—I want to talk about it. To make an actual p-police report," he managed. 

Something close to pride flashed across James' face. "Alright," he said at last, nodding. James pushed the Mortelli case file aside and pulled up his notebook. 

Percy told him everything. And he meant, everything. Things he hadn't told Annabeth. Hadn't said aloud to anyone else in his entire life. Thoughts that he had only meant for himself came flooding out like a river with a broken dam. 

And it felt...it felt good. It felt amazing, actually. Like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. 

Percy told him about his own father dying when he was just a baby. He only had one memory of a kind smile and green eyes. His mother's parents had died when she was young, and she had to quit university to take care of her sick uncle.

Without any savings or education to fall back on, Sally was alone and broke with a baby and no partner. 

When Percy was six, she met Gabe. He could still remember him, a gruff, pudgy man with a strong New York accent and a begrudging smile. He came over for dinner and brought take-out with him from McDonald's. Gabe came over more frequently. He left his shoes at the door of their house and watched TV in their living room. Sometimes he would even let Percy sit beside him and watch the Disney Channel. 

Gabe and his mother were married by the end of the year; a fall wedding. He was a decent-enough man and he had money — she wasn't about to turn that down. 

The change in his attitude was gradual, and Percy didn't notice the small shifts in it. First was the drinking. Gabe had always been one to drink a little — one or two beers with a meal or during football games — but once his father died and he inherited the family hardware store chain, he had a ton more free time. 

Gabe was at home most of the day. He got up early to send Percy to school at the same time his mother went to work, took a nap and watched TV, then picked Percy up from school and did the same. 

Since Gabe had more time as a business-owner, he drank more. He forgot to pick Percy up from school a few times, and then suddenly Sally was the one sending and fetching him to-and-from school. When Percy asked her why, she simply said that Gabe was busy with work. They both knew for a fact that he wasn't. 

It was in spring when Percy first saw Gabe drunk. He had his friends over for a football game, and they were yelling, screaming and Percy couldn't sleep with all the noise. He came out to ask them what was going on, only for Gabe to nearly squash him flat when he staggered over and gripped his shoulder tight. "Be a good boy and get us another round," he'd slurred. 

Percy felt fear in that moment, unsure of what Gabe would do. It was the first of many moments to come. 

Things like that only worsened the situation; Gabe left to gamble with his buddies every month for a week at a time, and he didn't help around the house anymore. 

But he didn't hit Percy until he was 7. His poker buddies were over — the building superintendent, the managers of one of his stores, and two other guys. 

It was early in the evening, so Percy's mother had been at work. Gabe demanded that Percy make them dip and bring them beers. Percy, who was supposed to go over to his friend Grover's house, refused adamantly. 

Gabe reiterated his point, and Percy had gotten angry, telling him to get it himself. The slap came without warning, leaving Percy standing in the kitchen with a stinging cheek and a mind whirring into overdrive. 

"Get the food," Gabe said gruffly before he turned back and returned to the living room. Percy stood there for a few more minutes before he started to cry. He got the food and the beers and ditched Grover that night. 

Gabe hadn't even been married to Sally for a year. 

For a while, it wasn't too bad. Percy figured it was just a one-time thing; he'd talked back and so Gabe, being drunk, had hit him. It didn't happen again till the next year, when Percy accidentally scratched the paint job on Gabe's Camaro. 

Things worsened when he reached middle school. Percy started mouthing off to Gabe more, and Gabe would scream at him, hurling verbal assaults until Percy ran back to his room and shivered in a small, curled-up ball. 

He began to hate Gabe, miss the person he used to be. Then Percy resented his father for dying and leaving them with this deadbeat. 

High school was the tipping point. Gabe didn't have any reservations about roughing him up now that Percy was older. The summer between middle school and high school, Percy stood up to him, and Gabe threatened to hurt his mother if he ever told anyone about this. 

Percy buffed up that summer. Exercising was a way to get out of the house, a distraction, and a good outlet for all of his pent-up frustration. Grover transferred away, which only sent Percy into a spiral before he met Hazel and Frank, who were the only two people unafraid of him.

Hazel and Frank were his family in every way but blood. They were his life away from his actual horrible life, the only part of his reality that he liked. But no matter how good they were to him, Percy always had to go back home, and back to Gabe. 

He joined extra-curriculars in an attempt to minimise his time at home. It was so bad at this point that Gabe was more often drunk than sober. 

The football team gave him a sense of belonging, and swimming was more for himself because it reminded him of his father. Percy's anger towards him began to dissipate. He hadn't meant to die at sea. And Percy would dream about what his life would be like if his father was still around. 

Contrary to people's first impression of him, Percy wasn't a violent person. In fact, he'd only ever gotten into one fight, and that had been in defence of Frank. The image of Jason Grace punching him elicited a panic in him — he'd made a promise to himself to protect his friends and his mother from Gabe even if it killed him — and he'd acted on instinct. Then Annabeth Chase punched him in the jaw and the principal came in to break up the fight. 

Percy avoided them for a year. It wasn't hard; they did the same too. 

He stayed with Hazel and Frank after school on some days, and they never noticed that he would dread going home. Percy never knew if it was a good or bad thing — he desperately needed someone to confide in, but he couldn't risk anyone. 

And then Annabeth happened. She'd guessed, almost immediately, about his situation at home, leaving Percy bewildered and confused at how much this blonde girl he was supposed to hate intrigued him so much. 

Annabeth was a beaming presence in his life, and somehow, she made everything else bearable. She cared about him — genuinely cared about someone she claimed to despise — and went out of her way to be his friend. 

But then the school found out about them. Percy found it harder to ignore Jason, Leo and Piper's piercing glares when he passed them in the hall. Annabeth suffered from whispers and gossip and Drew, but she still refused to leave him. 

Then Gabe sent him to confront a loan shark, and Mortelli stabbed Annabeth. Percy was so sure this time that she would finally leave, finally abandon him because it was just too complicated to hang around a guy like him. 

But she still stayed. In fact, she stood outside his house and yelled at him. Her friends were good people. They didn't judge Percy when he told them about Gabe, and they kept it a secret. It pained Percy at first; putting his trust in so many people who could let him down, but none of them did. 

Every single one of them kept his secret like their own. And Percy found that he actually liked them. Leo was hilarious, Piper was a bubbly presence he hadn't known he needed, and Jason was loyal to a fault. 

Suddenly, Percy had so many more things in his life worth living for. They dragged him out of a dark place and made him smile with little effort. And it was good for a time — Percy was content living his double-life — until Annabeth got caught in the crossfire, and Percy knew he'd just been living a temporary lie. 

And, well, James knew the rest from there. 

James, to his credit, didn't interrupt as Percy spoke. He scribbled notes, and occasionally, his expression would darken and he would mutter some choice words at Gabe under his breath, but he never interrupted. 

And at the end of the hour, Percy finished with a slow exhale. James looked up at him, a mixture of guilt and disbelief etched into his features. 

"Wow," was all he said. 

Percy nodded. He slumped back in his seat, feeling refreshed and, for the first time in his life, maybe there could be a way for him to fix all this.


	39. Buy One Divorce, Get One Free

Annabeth started the day with anxiety lodged in her stomach. That in itself was not great, but the feeling only worsened when she arrived in a Percy-less school. 

Usually, Annabeth would just assume that Percy, being Percy, had woken up late or forgotten to turn on his alarm. But she hadn't seen him since that day at the police station, and that in addition to their precarious "Gabe situation" made her worry. 

What if Gabe had found out? What if he'd attacked Percy? Was that why she hadn't heard from him in days? 

The first person she saw was Piper, who was trying and failing to hold all her books in her arms. Hazel and Leo stood beside her at her locker, chatting casually. None of them looked worried, and Annabeth reminded herself that she was probably just overthinking this. 

Nevertheless, Annabeth spent her first two lessons of the day — both sciences with Leo — mindlessly clucking her pen and keeping an eye trained on the clock at all times. 

"Relax," Leo whispered. "He's probably just late. You'll see him at lunch." 

Annabeth nodded wordlessly. Nothing would dispel the irrational fear she was feeling. 

In History, Annabeth clambered over to her usual seat frantically. "Hazel," she panted as she dumped her bag on the desk and slumped into the chair. "Have you seen Percy?" 

The other girl shook her head. "No, he wasn't in Physics or Chemistry. I've texted him. No reply." Hazel gave her a concerned look. "Is everything okay?" 

Annabeth felt her heart start to beat rapidly, but she plastered a reassuring expression on her face. "N-no, it's fine." Discreetly, she cast a glance at her phone under the table. No messages from Percy. 

If something was wrong, he would say so, right? Then again, Annabeth knew that Percy always preferred to take care of himself and never actually called her unless it was necessary. Was this a bad sign? 

Piper had to physically stop her from thrumming her fingers on the desk anxiously as she waited impatiently for the time to tick by. Try as she might, Annabeth couldn't focus on the teacher. 

"I have to see him," Annabeth whispered to Piper. "I have to, Pipes. He could be in trouble. What if Gabe did something—" 

"You can't leave in the middle of the day!" Piper hissed. 

Annabeth braced her hands on the edge of the desk till her knuckles went white. "I have to," she said desperately. 

"No," Piper said forcefully. "Annabeth, don't do something stupid and get yourself suspended." Her eyes narrowed. "Promise me." 

Annabeth shrunk under Piper's imploring gaze. "Fine," she muttered under her breath. 

As soon as the bell rang, Annabeth started to shove her belongings into her bag and make a hasty exit. 

"Hey, you're not gonna ditch, right?" Piper said in a low tone. 

"Just going to find Leo," Annabeth lied. "We have AP Calc now." She didn't miss Piper's suspicious look as she hurried out of the classroom. 

Annabeth had barely taken ten steps before she resolved that it was inevitable that she was going to break Piper's promise. She could struggle with it until lunch and then leave, or she could go now and make sure that Percy was okay. 

Ducking out of the hallway of bustling students moving to get to their next class, Annabeth pulled out her phone to check the bus schedule. Her eyes scanned the timings; the next one to Percy's house was in twenty minutes. 

Annabeth gritted her teeth frustratedly. God, couldn't anything go her way? Mentally, Annabeth tried to estimate the time it would take to run all the way to his house. This plan of hers was starting to sound just a little bit insane. 

Large hands latched onto her arm and dragged her forward, making her stumble into the next corridor. 

"What the hell?" Annabeth demanded, wrenching her arm out of Frank's grip. Jason stood by his side, both boys wearing matching expressions of wariness. 

"I told you she'd be in the same mindset," Jason said to Frank, lowering his voice now that the hallways were empty again and the other students had disappeared. 

"Percy?" Annabeth asked. 

Frank nodded in confirmation. 

"He isn't here, and he hasn't texted me for days," Annabeth frowned. "I'm worried. Do you think Gabe..." She trailed off, watching Jason wince. 

"You said he made the police report last week, right?" Frank said urgently. "But could Gabe still hurt him after that? If he heard about it?" 

"I'm sure the police did something about it," Jason insisted. 

"I just need to know he's okay," Annabeth pleaded. "Look, I won't be able to live with myself if, tomorrow, I find out he was beaten to pulp and was too injured to tell us." 

Jason fell silent. Finally, he sighed. "Fine. Okay. What are we going to do?" 

"See him," Annabeth said firmly. "The next bus is in 20 minutes. Do either of you have a car?" 

Frank shook his head. "I cycled today." 

Jason made a face. "Thalia took the car." 

"We could get Piper's keys," Annabeth suggested. "She'd understand. They're in her locker." 

"What, we break in?" Jason demanded. 

A voice from behind made them jump. "Next time you plan covert operations, do it where no one can hear you." 

Annabeth nearly yelped. "Mr Blowfis," she gasped, heart leaping into her throat as she spun around. 

"Sir," Frank stammered. "We were just—"

"Preparing to ditch class?" Paul raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to escort you back to your classes." 

"Mr Blowfis, you don't understand," Annabeth said desperately. "We have to go. Percy—" She hesitated. Mr Blowfis was a cool teacher, but how did she explain why they needed to ditch school? "Percy could be in trouble, and we need to see him." 

"In trouble?" Paul repeated with a frown. "What do you mean?" 

"He's not in school today," Annabeth said hastily. 

Paul nodded. "I know. His mother called in to say he had to stay home for personal reasons." 

"It's because of his stepdad," Jason said abruptly. "He's been hitting Percy, and we're worried that something really terrible might've happened." 

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Jason!" 

Paul blinked, paling. "What?" 

Jason turned to her. "The police already knows," he reminded. "The school will too. And," he paused. "We can trust Mr Blowfis. I think." 

"That is a serious accusation," Paul cut in. "You have to think before—" 

"Sir," Annabeth interjected. "I'm so sorry for interrupting and for trying to ditch class, but we have to." She prayed that Paul would believe her and her clean reputation just this once. She'd write all the English essays he wanted if he just let them do this one thing. "Please." 

Paul regarder them with a levelled gaze, and Annabeth was relieved to see that he seemed to be mulling over thor words. "You need an adult present if what you're saying is true." 

Yes, adults have been so helpful up to this point, Annabeth bit back. 

"Do you know the address?" he asked. Frank nodded. "Then let's go. I'll inform the principal that it's important." 

Annabeth stared in shock as Paul beckoned them towards the door of the classroom. "Mr Blowfis, are-are you serious?" 

"My job as a teacher also means that we're entrusted with the wellbeing of these kids," Paul said sincerely. "Percy is one of my students. I believe you three, and I suppose I always suspected there might be something going on in his home." 

Annabeth added Paul Blowfis to her short list of adults she could trust. 

Paul drove a silver Prius, and the three of them piled into the backseat as he veered down the streets towards Percy's house. Annabeth gazed out the window with a racing heart. Occasionally, Jason would nudge his shoulder against hers reassuringly. "He's gonna be fine," he whispered. 

Her nerves went through the roof when they pulled up on Percy's street, his house growing nearer and nearer. 

"Are those," Frank squinted. "Police cars?" As they drew closer, Annabeth saw that he was right. There was a police vehicle parked in front of the house, beside a foreign black BMV. 

Annabeth leaped out of the car once Paul came to a complete stop, ignoring the shouts of her friends' behind her. Her feet hit the pavement as Annabeth burst through the gate and arrived, breathless, at the front door. 

The door was wide open, displaying the familiar kitchen and living room. Sally sat on one of the armchairs, speaking to Sabrina, whom Annabeth recognised from her hair, and another woman. Then by the kitchen, Percy, leaning over the counter and talking to James. 

"Percy!" Annabeth said in relief, sagging against the door frame as she was overwhelmed by a dizzying sensation of "thank God". 

Green eyes widened as he did a double take upon seeing her. "Annabeth?" Percy said in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" A few long strides and he was in front of her, looking down at her with pleasant surprise. 

Annabeth simply drank in the sight of Percy, uninjured and smiling. "You're-you're okay," she stammered.

Footsteps alerted her to Frank, Jason and Paul's arrival at her side. 

"I'm fine," Percy said, looking around at them incredulously. 

"You didn't reply any of our texts," Frank said accusatorially. "We thought you—" He broke off, glancing meaningfully at Paul. 

Percy looked embarrassed. "Hi, Mr Blowfis." 

Paul waved back. "Your friends here were rather alarmed by your absence." 

Annabeth crossed her arms. "Yes, we were. You practically disappeared." 

"I've been busy," Percy answered, scratching the back of his neck. "Actually, it's complicated." 

Percy's mother, Sally, materialised at his side, looking exhausted. "Oh, Annabeth," she said with surprise. "And..." She trailed off. "Paul?" 

Annabeth exchanged a look with Jason when Paul nodded back. She could've sworn the teacher was...blushing. And so was Sally. 

"Please, come in," Sally insisted, beckoning them towards her. "I'm just speaking to Emma." 

Annabeth followed Percy inside, waving at James and Sabrina in greeting. 

"What's going on?" Jason asked, looking around with as much confusion as Annabeth felt. The four teenagers crowded around the kitchen island. 

"Well," Percy leaned over, and Annabeth saw that he was grinning. "They came in over the weekend and took Gabe into custody." Frank's cheers faded into the background with Annabeth's intense relief. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. 

"The lawyer," Percy gestured to the woman Sally was talking to — Emma. "Has been taking our statements today. Sabrina and James said they're taking the case, so they've been gathering evidence too. Apparently, the case looks strong." 

"It'd better be," Annabeth said with a frown. "If that asshole ever shows his face here again..." 

Percy grabbed her hand behind the counter and gave it a squeeze. Now Annabeth could see the visible differences in his demeanour. His eyes were brighter, his posture more relaxed and he looked like he'd had his first good night of sleep it what was probably a long time. 

"He won't be," Percy reassured her. "My mum's filing for divorce. And a restraining order. And she's pressing charges." He shrugged. "All in all, a good week." 

Annabeth shook her head, still in awe. "I can barely believe it. It-it's over. It's really over." She glanced up at him warily. "How did your mum take it?" 

Percy's expression clouded. "That wasn't great," he admitted. "I told her everything when I got back from the station. There was...a lot of crying and hugging."

"Good. You deserve a lot of hugs," Annabeth said seriously. The corner of Percy's mouth quirked up as he pulled her closer into a side-hug. 

"Look at us," he chuckled. "Guess our families had more in common than I thought. I wonder if the law firm has deals; like a 'buy one divorce, get one free' thing—" As soon as the words tumbled out, Percy's eyes widened in self-horror. "Oh, God, Annabeth! I'm sorry, that was so insensitive!" 

Annabeth barely heard him, too busy laughing. "Relax," she assured him. Honestly, she was just happy that Percy was happy. Finally and truly. She would never have to worry about him coming to school with a new bruise or cut, or having to rush him to the hospital. 

Percy slung an arm across her shoulder, and Annabeth was suddenly faced with this new, fresh reality. And she smiled.


	40. Deck the Halls

'Chaos' was the only word that could be used to describe the Chase household at Christmastime. Spending it in two different homes only made things more complicated. 

"Do you have everything with you?" Helen shouted as she hustled Matthew and Bobby towards the entrance, each boy bundled up in layers of scarves, coats and sweaters to combat the snow. Their suitcases were lugged along the ground, bashing into the walls as they went. "Anyone forgotten anything?" 

"No!" Matthew said enthusiastically. Bobby rolled his eyes. 

"Okay, I love you!" Helen said, yanking both of her sons towards her and giving them tight hugs and kisses on the foreheads, to which Bobby replied disdainfully, "Ew, Mum."

"Oh, please," Helen scoffed. "No one's here to see you be embarrassed. You don't have any excuses." 

"Wait!" Annabeth's yells echoed down the stairwell as she thundered down the steps, a box wrapped in silver balanced precariously in her arms. "Give this to Dad for me, okay?" 

Bobby shot her a thumbs-up as the present fell into his arms, blocking his face from view. 

"Don't die or anything," Annabeth told her brothers as they mobbed her with hugs that forced her to stagger back. "Love you two." 

"Love you," they mumbled. There was a wistful moment of silence before the commotion returned, and Matthew nearly tripped down the front step and took a tumble. 

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" he called back as he stumbled to the taxi, Bobby at his heels as they loaded their trunks into the boot. 

Annabeth stood by Helen's side, leaning against the doorframe and waving at her brothers until they were out of sight, dispersing exhaust the only evidence of their presence. 

Once the boys were out of the residence, an eerie, calm silence settled over the house. 

"Feels weird," Annabeth noted. "It's like I've gone deaf." She turned to Helen, grinning, only to see her stepmother staring at the road. "What?" 

"You can still go, you know," Helen told her. "It's not too late. You could pack your suitcase and be there for Christmas tomorrow." 

Annabeth waved a hand dismissively. "Hey, I made my decision to spend Christmas here. You're here. My friends are here. I already spent Thanksgiving with Dad. Besides," she shrugged. "Couldn't leave you alone on Christmas."

Helen smiled, her shoulders visibly relaxing. It was barely dawn, but once morning properly arrived, Annabeth was freshened up, dressed in a red corduroy skirt and a stripy, long-sleeved shirt that practically screamed "Christmas". 

She was bouncing on the balls of her feet expectantly when the doorbell rang an hour before noon. Annabeth raced to the door and flung it open with a beaming smile. 

"Merry Christmas!" Piper exclaimed, smiling madly and carrying three tote bags filled to the brim with presents. She flung her arms around Annabeth excitedly, and they waddled mid-hug into the living room, laughing giddily. 

Leo stood behind Piper, arms crossed. "I feel very left out right now." Annabeth skipped over to Leo, giving him a hug too. 

"Thanks for coming," Annabeth said gratefully. "Just put your gifts under the tree. Bags can go on the couch." 

Piper peered round the bend. "I brought something for Helen too, is she around?" 

Annabeth shook her head. "She's spending Christmas Eve with her parents. She'll be back tonight; I can pass something along for you." 

There was a whole flurry of activity as Leo produced the food he brought — dessert from the bakery near his house. "Cooking would have been a really bad idea," he insisted when Annabeth shot him a withering look.

"See, I brought actual food," Piper said emphatically, setting a container of sausage rolls on the counter. 

"But," Leo smirked. "Did you make them?" 

Piper swept her hair over her shoulder and flushed. "Well, our chefs made them. So...by relation, sort of." 

"No," Leo said firmly. "Not at all." 

A knock on the door pulled Annabeth's attention back, and she left her two friends to squabble as she answered the door. 

"Hi!" Frank exploded once Annabeth opened the door. He was grinning toothily and more widely than Annabeth had ever seen. 

"Don't mind him," Hazel said with an eye-roll as she stepped in. "He's crazy about Christmas." 

"Join the club," Annabeth said with a chuckle as she wrapped her arms around both of them. "Piper and Leo are inside, you can go ahead and join them."

As Hazel and Frank stepped away from the door, Annabeth saw a flash of blonde hair at her front gate, followed by Jason hurrying down the path to her front door, grinning as he waved at her. 

"Jason!" she cheered, attacking him with a hug at the same time as he yelled "Annabeth!" and launched forward. They whirled around in a circle, laughing loudly as Jason righted them before they could fall. 

Christmas was their holiday. Jason had never had the most peaceful household. His father left when they were kids, his mother, a retired actress, was consistently absent and struggled with smoking and drinking, and Thalia was off at her military boarding school on the other side of the country. 

Jason and Annabeth had bonded quickly over their shared love for Christmas, and it became a yearly tradition to spend Christmas Eve together. Piper and Leo joined them in high school, and now, Hazel, Frank and Percy. 

"This is my second try at Percy's dumb blue cookies," Jason informed her, allowing her a glimpse of misshapen blue cookies inside a container. 

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Appetising." 

"I tried, okay," he complained. They shared another furtive side-look of eagerness. 

Annabeth loved this. Loved what Christmas brought out in all of them. It was reinforcement that, no matter who they were dating or what happened, she and Jason would always be best friends. It also showed her that she had the luck of finding so many people who she considered family. 

"Go inside," Annabeth gestured to the living room. "The others are there." 

"Hm," Jason crossed his arms. "I don't suppose you're gonna stand here and wait for a certain green-eyed boy?" 

Annabeth maintained her nonchalance. "Of course, not." Jason rolled her eyes, but he obliged anyway, and Annabeth could hear the eruption of shouts when he arrived in the kitchen. 

In the end, Annabeth didn't have to wait long before she saw Percy walking down the pavement outside her house, dragging a huge bag and sporting a wide grin. 

"You're late," she informed him when he neared, but Annabeth couldn't help smiling. 

Percy rolled his eyes. He swept her up in his arms, making her laugh, and twirled her around. "Merry Christmas," he sang. 

"You're cheerful," Annabeth said, surprised. She cast a look over her shoulder. "We're alone, you know." 

Percy grinned. "Yay." He leaned forward and captured her lips with his, teeth gently grazing her bottom lip. They drew apart, and Annabeth told him, "I love you." 

"Love you too," he whispered back as he took her hand and dragged her inside, closing the door behind them. They walked into the living room, hands linked, to see their friends standing around the tree, gazes angled up as they speculated thoughtfully. 

Percy exchanged greetings with everyone, and when he was done, scanned his surroundings. "What are you doing?" 

"Trying to figure out how to put the star at the top of the tree," Hazel informed him, holding out the metal structure wrapped in fairy lights and dusted with golden glitter. 

"There is a clear solution to this," Percy declared. 

Annabeth nodded. "Right. Frank gives Leo a piggy-back ride." 

Percy turned to look at her with an impresses look of respect. "That's exactly what I was thinking." 

"Woah, woah, hold on," Leo held up his hands in a time-out sign. "Why me?" 

"Because you weigh the least," Hazel said in a matter-of-fact tone, and even Leo couldn't argue with that. Amidst grumbles, he struggled into Frank's back with the star in his right hand. 

Frank staggered to-and-fro a couple of times before he regained his full balance and slowly approached the tree. 

"Get...a...shorter...tree...next...time," Leo said between pants as he strained to secure the star to the top of the tree. It took a minute or so, but once he flicked the light switch on the back of the star, the fairy lights lit up blindingly, twinkling in an almost magical fashion. 

The others cheered, and using Piper's phone — which had the best camera quality — took a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree with the ten-second timer. It took a few tries, given Percy and Leo's ADHD and Frank's clumsiness, but eventually, they got one that everyone was satisfied with. 

"Remember, if it's not on Instagram, it never happened," Leo mimicked Drew's voice. He cleared his throat. "I'm not even kidding, she said that to me once." 

Christmas lunch was an easy affair, filled with lots of witty jokes and laughs as they passed the food around. Annabeth spent a minute staring at Percy as he seemed to shovel never-ending amounts of food onto his plate. 

"I'm a growing child," he protested when he saw her looking at him. 

After lunch was gift exchange, which was probably Annabeth's favourite part of the day. because of the amount of ridiculous presents they all got each other. 

Frank got Leo a children's gardening set, apparently to pass his free time, to which Leo responded by flipping the finger. Piper got Percy a set of cheap nail polish, which Percy had become worryingly possessive of and had made Annabeth promise to show him how to do it one day. 

Jason gave Piper a necklace with a small snowman pendant, to remind her of today, and in turn, she got him a travel mug that, when filled with hot drink, would reveal a picture of the two of them. 

As the couple shared a hug, Percy turned to Annabeth, cheeks red. "Okay, so I kind of got you a funny gift. Like it's a proper gift, but I wasn't going for thoughtful as much as stupid."

Annabeth opened her mouth, then closed it. "I also got you a funny gift." The two of them burst into low laughs, exchanging knowing looks as they pulled out their presents. 

She shook her gift from Percy, immediately knowing it was some sort of clothing. After Annabeth tore open the packaging and pulled out what was possibly the most obnoxious Christmas sweater she had ever seen in her life, she couldn't stop laughing as she unfolded it. 

There was tinsel and small bells decorating the red sweater, which was oversized and went to past her hands and knees. The words "I'm with stupid" were inscribed on the front, with an arrow pointing to the side. 

"Okay, I now think I got you the wrong size," Percy said sheepishly. 

Annabeth checked the tag and furiously whipped her head up. "L?" she demanded. 

"I didn't know!" Percy said bewilderedly, dodging the smack she sent his way. "It looked right at the time." 

Annabeth pulled the sweater over her head, immediately enveloped in warmth. "Thanks." 

"It's actually because you keep stealing my hoodies all the time," he said accusatorially. "So now you have your own."

"Yeah, but," she shrugged. "I can only wear this at Christmas. Won't stop me wearing yours the rest of the year." 

"Damn it," Percy muttered under his breath, but she knew he didn't really mean it. He pulled his gift out of the wrapping paper, eyebrows shooting skyward. "Oh my God." 

He pulled out a onesie, furry and brown, that went from his ankles to his wrists and his neck. Percy exploded into laughs as he spotted the antlers that poked out from the hood. 

"I'm proud of myself for finding that," Annabeth told him. "Especially in an adult size."

"I love it," Percy declared, grinning at her. "I think I know what to wear to our next date."

He pulled on the onesie, which looked both ridiculous and adorable on him, and they snapped a picture together — Percy with his antlers and Annabeth in the sweater that practically swallowed her whole. 

When their friends weren't looking, Annabeth stole a quick kiss. Percy blinked, a slow grin stretching across his face. "You know I was never the biggest fan of Christmas," he admitted. "With Gabe and all, it was never very festive. We didn't have a lot of money, and Christmas day was usually quiet."

"What about now?" Annabeth said quietly. "Still don't like Christmas?" 

Percy shrugged, but he squeezed her hand. "I think," he said slowly. "It's becoming my new favourite holiday."


	41. College Applications

"Hello, sir," Percy said uncertainly as he hovered in the doorway. Did he enter or wait to be called in? 

The man sitting at the desk looked up, and Percy was met with friendly, kind features. "Please, come in, Perseus." 

Percy blinked. Okay, so it made sense that the school guidance counsellor would know his name, but it was still jarring to here it after years of going as 'Percy'. 

His gaze flickered to the name plague on the table. The letters swam before his eyes, but a Percy managed to make out 'Chiron'. 

"No last name?" he said without thinking. "Like...Madonna." 

"Or Beyoncé," Chiron chuckled. 

Percy blushed embarrassedly. "Sorry. I do that sometimes. Didn't mean to offend you." 

"You didn't," Chiron assured him. "Sit, Perseus." 

"Percy," he corrected. 

"Percy," Chiron amended. There was a tan-coloured file on the desk by his left hand, but Chiron made no move to purse through it. Percy appreciated that; he hated feeling like a case. 

"So, Percy, college applications are due in this week. Could you tell me which ones you've filled out or sent in already?" 

Percy nodded. "Well, my aspiration to become a police detective. The police academy only starts after college though, so I've applied for a few Marine Biology courses, mostly in New York." 

He counted off the colleges on one hand, "Adelphi University, Queens College, Northwestern and NYU." When he received Chiron's raised eyebrows, Percy hastily added, "Northwestern was a shot in the dark. Piper — Piper McLean — kind of roped me and Hazel into it. She said there was technically no harm in trying." 

"Ms McLean would be right," Chiron said. "Assuming you received all four offers, which would be your top choice?" 

"Unlikely," Percy snorted. "But, um, NYU, I guess." 

"You guess?" 

"I know," Percy amended. "It's a good program, an interesting course, they offer good extra-curriculars and it's still in the state." 

"I'm surprised you didn't apply to the colleges in other states," Chiron noted. "They can be easier to get into, and they have good results." 

"Can't leave my mum. Not after everything," Percy admitted. "And New York will always be my home." 

A small thought in the back of his mind tugged uncomfortably; but would it still be, after everyone left? Namely, Annabeth. Percy knew that Annabeth was destined for greatness — she was the smartest person he knew and was probably going to become the President one day. But it still hurt knowing that he was probably going to be left behind in the process.

"Manhattan would be a big change," Chiron reminded. "But we'll get to that when the time comes. We should focus on the smaller steps now; have you sent in the applications yet?" 

Percy paused. "Um." 

Chiron clasped his hands together, propping his elbows on the table as he regarded Percy seriously. "You have...filled in your application forms?" 

Percy awkwardly scratched at the back of his neck. See, Christmas break had been so much to take in. He and his mother had revelled greatly in their first holidays without Gabe. 

Then school restarted, and somehow, word had gotten out about the whole situation. Percy received pitying looks, which only ticked him off more, and people like Matt Sloan had the audacity to tell him he was "weak" and should've "just taken it like a man".

Annabeth punched him in the nose and got detention for two weeks. 

Nothing would stop the rumours though. Percy knee that from experience with Annabeth, with Rachel, with Drew, except that this was more personal. He couldn't do anything about it, but that didn't stop him from thinking about it or worrying all the time. 

Distractions like that were just a few reasons why he hadn't exactly finished his applications yet. 

"I've filled in the forms," Percy reassured the teacher. "It's just...the personal statement that takes a bit of work. I don't know what to write." 

Chiron sighed. "This is where I have experience. I do wish you'd come to me earlier, but I'm sure you could finish it by the end of the week." He passed Percy a pamphlet on writing tips and tricks. "Of course, I always give students the same advice, write a general college essay, then alter it for each application in accordance to what the school is looking for. For example, an applicant to an Ivy League school would need emphasis on academic achievements, while you, applying to NYU, should attempt to sound more well-rounded."

Percy fiddled with the pamphlet, already tired. "I don't suppose Annabeth could help me with this." 

Chiron chuckled. "Ms Chase is clever. But she's busy enough with her six applications. And your statement should come from you, Percy, not your girlfriend." 

Percy cleared his throat. "You-you know that we're dating?" 

Chiron's eyes sparkled like he knew something Percy didn't. "We're teachers, Percy, not blind. In fact, I believe I did win twenty dollars from Paul and Rebecca because of it." 

Percy didn't know how long he ogled Chiron before he found his voice. "You bet on us?" he said incredulously. 

"Of course not, Percy, that would be unethical of us as educators." Chiron winked at him. He sobered up. "Back to your essay."

Forcing himself to move past that confusing revelation, Percy shrugged helplessly. "I'm not that interesting, sir. I don't know what to tell you." 

"I think that's your habit to be self-deprecating at it again," Chiron insisted. "You underestimate yourself, Percy. You have a life story that college application boards would die to listen to. You have a sort of determination coveted by these universities, and you need to convey it to them. Convey what sets you apart from other applicants." 

Percy had no idea what Chiron was talking about. His scores were only average, and maybe swimming was his forte, but he doubted that that was what universities were looking for. 

"Personal experience is what you should use in your essay," Chiron told him. "Speak from the heart." 

Percy studied his expression. "You want me to talk about...about Gabe." He frowned. "No, no, it's wrong to use that for-for a college application—"

"No, I'm not saying that," Chiron said patiently. "What you went through was horrible, traumatic and unwarranted." His expression darkened. "But it made you into the person you are today. Stronger than most kids. Most teenagers could only have nightmares about what you've been through. You made it through, and that proves that you're a whole lot braver than you give yourself credit for. Talk  
about that. About what you like about yourself. How your life has shaped you into who you are now." 

"Think about it," Chiron implored. 

Percy left Chiron's office more confused than before, but at least he had a starting point. The bell went off, signalling the end of the period, and the start of AP Biology. 

He entered class and took the seat beside Annabeth, who was furiously scribbling down something in her planner. "It's my deadlines for the applications," Annabeth informed him. "I didn't want to submit them too early and seem overbearing, so I'm planning to send them all in in one shot tonight. I've allotted 30-minute time slots—"

She broke off when she glanced at him. "Sorry," she murmured, putting down her pen. 

"Hm?"

"Your eyes are," she gestured unintelligibly. "Glazing over again." 

Percy blushed and blinked, his vision refocusing. "Right. Oops." 

"How was your session with Mr Brunner?" Annabeth asked.

"Who?"

"Chiron?" she said impatiently. "He préféra his students to call him that — you didn't think his name was just 'Chiron', right?" 

"Of course, not," Percy covered up feebly. "It was...confusing." He pressed a plan to his temple. "I'm supposed to write about myself. About what I like about myself. Everything I can think of isn't exactly college-worthy." 

Annabeth thought for a moment. "What do you like about yourself?" 

Percy paused. "Um, I was smart enough to get over myself and ask you out." 

"Firstly, technically, I asked you out," Annabeth reminded. "Secondly, that doesn't count. It's not something about you." 

Percy threw his hands up in the air exonerated it. "This is hopeless. I don't think about this often." 

"Okay, I'll go," Annabeth told him. "You are...the most loyal person I've ever met. To your friends, to me, to your family. You would do anything for us, so much so that it can be worrying sometimes." 

"Aw."

"Don't "aw" me." Annabeth crossed her arms. "It's scary. You would throw yourself in front of a bus for me — no, scratch that, you would throw yourself in front of a bus for fun." 

"Okay, so loyalty," Percy counted off on one hand. "Also, I think you could probably rival Drew for who gives the best backhanded compliments."

"Thank you."

"You could...keep saying nice things about me," Percy prompted. 

Annabeth laughed. "Alright, alright." She thought for a second. "You're...the very definition of "When there's a will, there's a way." I mean, when you put your mind to something, you're more likely going to accomplish it than not, no matter how impossible it seems." She finished, "Determination. One of your strong suits."

"And," she continued. "The fact that you never give up. Doesn't matter how difficult things get. You stick to what you believe in through thick and thin. Look at us; we've been through so much, and you never once gave up on us. Football with Jason? You used to hate him, but you never kicked him off the team. You led the team to a win anyway." 

Annabeth smiled. "You would walk through hell before you quit something, and I think that's about as admirable as it gets."


	42. Court of Judgement

"Guys, guys, guys," Frank clambered into Annabeth's homeroom on Monday morning with jumbled sentences and more energy than was appropriate on a weekday, Percy right behind him. 

"What are you doing?" Annabeth hissed as her boyfriend obnoxiously slotted himself between Jason and herself. "This isn't your class!" 

"Do I care?" Percy whispered back. 

"You probably should?" she responded bewilderedly. 

Percy waved a hand dismissively. "Hazel's covering for us. I was sent to find out if you guys got any news from colleges this weekend." 

A now-familiar ripple of nausea ran down Annabeth's spine. Her hands braced against the edge of her desk hard enough to make her knuckles go white. 

"Oh, she's just stressing," Piper filled Percy in, gesturing to Annabeth. 

"I haven't heard from Yale or Harvard yet!" Annabeth protested. "They always send our acceptance letters before rejections! I think I'm gonna cry — no, Piper, I actually think I'm going to cry from sheer agitation." 

"Breathe," Jason said unhelpfully. Annabeth glowered at him. 

"She didn't mention the good news; that she got interviews for all her other schools," Leo reminded. 

Percy raised a hand for a high-five that Annabeth reluctantly received. 

Piper turned to Percy. "Did you and Hazel hear from Northwestern too?" 

He winced in response. "Yep. Neither of us even made the interviews." 

Frank eyed Piper suspiciously. "I'm guessing you did?" 

Piper fought back a sheepish smile. 

"Oh, don't feel bad," Frank reassured her. "That's amazing!"

"Don't worry, you know," Annabeth said in a low tone, nudging Percy. "NYU gave you and interview, and isn't that what you're aiming for?" 

Percy brushed the ends of his hair from his eyes. "No, it's not that. Northwestern was a long shot anyway," he said, glancing from side to side surreptitiously. "I'm due to be in court to testify against Gabe this weekend." 

Annabeth made a face. "Oh, God." 

Percy rubbed his head tiredly. "Emma Henderson — our attorney — has me going over our statement and the answers to possible questions every minute of the day." He shuddered. "I can't mess this up." 

Annabeth reaches out to give his hand a squeeze. "Hey, it'll be okay. I'll come over and run through them with you later." 

Percy gave her a wary look. 

"I have a new teaching technique," she said assuredly. "Every time you get something right, I'll give you a kiss." 

To her relief, Percy's spirits seemed to lift just slightly. He offered a half-grin. "I hope I'm the only one you tutor like that." 

"No, I'm actually seeing Matt Sloan on the side." Annabeth wrinkled her nose. "Oh, I can't even joke about it." 

"Okay, what about the rest of you?" Percy asked the others. "I have strict orders to report back to Hazel on everything." 

"Got rejected by Dartmouth," Jason said, receiving mournful nods and pats on the back. "Ah, it's fine. I wasn't expecting it to turn out well." 

Frank nudged Leo in the side. "What about you? Heard from Dartmouth?" 

Leo nodded nervously. "So far so good. Four for four. But I'm still kind of worried about not having a safety school other than NYU." 

"How is your safety school my goal?" Percy complained. 

Talking about college, if she ignored her nerves regarding her own applications, gave Annabeth a strange sensation. She was excited to hear about her friends all aiming for success, but at the same time, she was so used to them being kids that it was weird to think about being adults. 

Especially when it came hand-in-hand with them being spread all over the country. She wasn't ready to part with any of them. Hazel and Piper had applied only to universities in Chicago — both of them eager to get out and explore. 

Living in the suburbs of New York was nice, but Annabeth did understand their eagerness for new experiences. She didn't think any of them were staying here, and even Percy, who was determined to remain in the same state as his mother, would have to move to New York City. 

The idea of so much change was both exciting and terrifying. Soon, Annabeth's biggest problems wouldn't be some stray rumours or mean classmates. 

One step at a time, she told herself. She could worry about this later. 

<<< >>>

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. 

Percy could time the beat of his heart with the tick of the second hand on the clock. 

Time slowed as Gabe Ugliano stride past him, his grim gaze locking momentarily with Percy's, his expression shifting into one of feral, almost animalistic fury before he disappeared into the courtroom.

Percy knew that Gabe was currently out of the station on bail, but it didn't stop his knees from almost buckling. He sharply sucked in a breath, reaching out to grapple for the wall to steady himself against. 

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, hiding a clenched fists between the folds of his uncomfortable trousers. The suit he was wearing had been the most presentable his mother could find on budget, and the material chafed his skin, only making him more nervous. 

Percy's gaze flicked up to where his mother stood, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared after her soon-to-be ex-husband. 

"Hey, Mum," Percy murmured, gently pulling his mother back by the forearm. "It's gonna be okay." 

"No." She turned to him with a look of dismay. "It will never be okay. We lived with him, Percy. I didn't even know — I didn't notice!" His mother pulled at her skirt frustratedly. Percy knew that she had a bad habit of biting her nails when she was nervous, and right now, his mother's nail beds were an absolute mess. 

"Mum, no, we've been through this," Percy whispered. He peered into the courtroom once more. He hated how claustrophobic it was in there; the jury and the judge analysing him like they knew every aspect of his life. One of many reasons why he was waiting till the last second to enter the courtroom. 

"I can't help it," she choked. "He hurt you. My own son! I love you, Percy, and I would protect you with my life. I never wanted to subject you to him." 

Percy leaned forward, wrapping her in his arms as she sniffled. They shared the hug for a few more moments before he drew back, his mother gazing anxiously at him. 

"They're going to be brutal in there," Percy reminded her. "Gabe's lawyers are going to try to blame this on you — make it seem like you got me hurt on purpose and belittle you and insult you and make you feel horrible, but you need to remember that none of it is true." 

Sally bit her lip, but she nodded slowly. 

"Swear on blue food," Percy told her, holding out his right pinky. 

She shook her head with a half-sob half-laugh, but she humoured him, knocking his finger with hers. 

"Thanks, Percy," she said sincerely. "For being so amazing." 

"Well, I did learn from you," he reassured her lightly. 

There was the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway drawing Percy's attention up.

At the head of the herd was James and Sabrina. Just seeing their faces made Percy feel more confident — they were great detectives, and they'd talked him through every possible thing that could happen. Their heads were tilted towards each other as they discussed in hushed whispers. 

"Good luck," James told him in a low voice. "You're gonna do great." 

Percy shuffled his feet back and forth, flashing the detective a nervous smile. 

"Don't worry," Sabrina said firmly. "I won't let him get away with this, I swear. I'll do everything in my power to make sure of it." 

"But," James said warily. "You won't get yourself kicked out for bad conduct again...right?" 

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "What was I supposed to do? The defence attorney accused my girlfriend of lying!" Her voice was still loud even as James dragged her off to the side. "Lying, James! Defence attorneys really are the slimiest of the lot!" 

Behind the detectives and their lawyer Emma was a group that looked like a lost high school sports team; his friends, with Percy's English teacher at the helm. 

"Do you mind if I..." Sally trailed off with a blush dusting her cheeks as Paul Blofis waved awkwardly at her. 

Percy bit back a comment that he knew would only make his mother smack him on the arm. "Please, go ahead." He didn't manage to hide his knowing tone though, and his mother shot him a look before she walked off to speak to his teacher, who didn't really have an obligation to be here, but suspiciously enough seemed to be popping up everywhere. 

Paul was probably the most wonderful person for his mother, but nothing could stop Percy from scrutinising his every move. Could anyone really blame him? 

"Percy!" He was attacked by a flying blur as Piper gave him a bear hug. Percy staggered backwards until she released him, still looking concerned, Hazel at her side. "We were worried we'd missed it; someone" — She glared pointedly at Leo — "was late to pick us up." 

"You know, there's no point in using 'someone' when you make it clear who you're talking about," Leo complained. 

Percy felt the corner of his mouth quirk you despite the sombre situation. "It's fine," he said breathlessly. "I'm just glad you guys are here." His voice wavered on the last few words. 

There was eruption of "aw"s and "Percy"s as his five friends enveloped him in a much-needed group hug. 

"Wouldn't dream of being anywhere else," Frank assured him once they all retreated. 

"We should all start heading inside now," Emma called, trying to hustle everyone towards the open double oak doors. There was a flurry of activity as the detectives and Percy's mother stepped inside, followed by Paul and the rest of Percy's friends. 

Piper gave him one last hug as she went by, Leo stopped to tell him "that everything was going to be okay", and Jason exchanged with him a meaningful look that told Percy everything he needed to know. 

Hazel looked like she was about to burst into tears as she and Frank approached him. "Oh, Percy," she fussed, brushing a speck of lint on the sleeve of his blazer. "We love you so much. If you ever feel like you need a breather, you look over at us, okay?"

Frank nodded, voice thick with emotion, "Shes right, you know. We aren't going anywhere. We're gonna stay in there with you the whole time." 

The three of them shared a last round of smiles before the couple went inside. 

"Percy, we should start getting ready," Emma urged, her heels clicking against the marble floor. 

Percy glanced at his watch. 3.57pm. Annabeth should be here by now. "Um...yeah. Can I just have a minute?" 

Emma nodded, squeezing his shoulder. "Of course. See you in there, Percy." She entered the courtroom, leaving Percy alone in the hallway. 

Percy sunk into one of the chairs, clasping his hands together as he forced himself to take a slow breath through his teeth. 

Everything had built up to this moment. Percy was so close to getting Gabe out of his life forever, but the amount of pressure building up on his shoulders...

Hurried footfalls reverberated rhythmically as the sound of cloth shuffling and a string of murmured curses entered the hallway. 

Percy tilted his head up to see Annabeth appear at the end of the corridor, dressed in her court-appropriate billowing green trousers. 

"Percy," she gasped, roughly shoving her sling bag over her shoulder. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry I'm late. Helen was supposed to drop me off, but the boys' soccer game went into overtime—" 

Percy cut her off as he surged to his feet and grasped her in a tight hug. Annabeth screeched to a halt, but she held him like a lifeline as he sagged in her arms, the first time that he was able to relax. 

"I'm so scared," Percy whispered shakily. He felt Annabeth pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before she withdrew, holding him stably by the shoulders. 

In a split second, Annabeth went from frazzled to someone who could be sitting behind the judge's table. 

"Percy, look at me," she said sternly. "You are — by far — the bravest person I have ever met in my life. I've stuck by you for a year now, so trust me, because I know. Today, you're going to go in there and face down someone who hurt you in so many different ways." 

"What if I mess this up?" Percy said anxiously. "You know I always do that. I'm dyslexic, and ADHD, and dumb — except that I can't afford to make a mistake today." 

"I have always believed in you," Annabeth said confidently. In fact, she was convincing enough to slow down Percy's rapidly palpitating heart. "And now, I know you can do this. And after that, you don't have to be so strong anymore. You can relax and be a normal teenaged boy, and we can go for a picnic in the park, and you finally get that dog you always wanted—"

"Okay, don't get my hopes up now," Percy murmured. "My mum hasn't agreed yet." 

Annabeth laughed. It was a beautiful sight, to see her grey eyes light up like that. Swiftly, Annabeth took his head and laced their fingers together. 

"I'll be there the whole time," she whispered. "If you get scared when you look at Gabe, just remember that I'm here. And that he can't hurt you anymore." Annabeth frowned. "You might have to hold me back in case I try to pummel him." 

Percy had a vivid mental image of Sabrina and Annabeth sitting outside the courtroom with matching angry expressions. 

"I love you," Percy told her, his brow creased seriously. 

Annabeth gave his hand a squeeze. "Good. Now, let's do this." 

Percy smiled, and he let her lead him into the courtroom.


	43. Miles Away

It took all her energy not to tap her foot on the ground. 

Classical music flowed from the speakers in the hallway outside the office, where a panel of teachers would decide whether Annabeth was fit to join Harvard University. 

Annabeth was the last interview of the day — she had spent the last three hours while waiting wracking her brain trying to figure out how they ordered the candidates being interviewed and still failed to produce a viable solution — which could be both a good thing and a bad thing. 

But she was too hopped up on nerves to think straight, especially because she couldn't exactly pull out her phone, could she? Her father had trained her in this — he had attended both Harvard and Yale, after all — and first impressions were extremely important. 

Unfortunately, Annabeth had been so agitated when leaving their hotel room that she'd forgotten to pack the book she'd specifically picked out to make her seem a whole lot smarter than she actually was. 

Her father had been taking her all over the country for college interviews. Leo's interview with MIT had fallen on the same day as Annabeth's with Harvard, so he'd joined them on their trip to Massachusetts. 

They'd spent the entire car ride here testing each other on their various subjects. It was weird to followed up the question "Explain the functions of theory in political inquiry." with "What are the parameters used for synchronisation?", but Annabeth and Leo had pulled it off. 

Annabeth checked her watch for what had to be the thousandth time in the last hour. 4.24pm. Leo had to be done with his interview by now. He was probably waiting outside the school with Frederick, rambling on about nonsense to her father. Annabeth was glad that her dad knew Leo well enough that whatever nonsense he was spouting wouldn't confuse him. 

Annabeth gripped the edge of her seat as the glass door opened, making the bells overhead jingle. 

A blonde European boy exited, looking ready to collapse and shaking like a leaf as he blankly walked away. 

A tall, slender woman stepped out from the office, her eyes trained on the clipboard in her hands. "Carmen Patel," she announced. The British-Indian girl sitting across from Annabeth got to her feet and toddled inside, her face pale with terror. 

Annabeth's own fear skyrocketed as the door closed, leaving her the only one outside. She was next. In about 30 minutes, her first college interview would take place, and probably determine the rest of her life. 

These were decisions that she couldn't take back. 

Annabeth closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall behind her, trying to train her breathing to regain a slow rhythm. 

She tried to think of the one thing that never failed to calm her down; Percy. Green eyes, dark hair, and his goofy grin. 

Except that all that did was remind Annabeth that, if this and the subsequent interviews went well, she would have to leave him. 

Percy would have to stay in New York, while Annabeth pursued her own dreams, and she hated the thought of leaving him behind. 

Even if they spoke everyday, it wouldn't be the same. Their relationship wouldn't consist of hushed conversations in AP Biology or passed notes in Maths. She wouldn't slide in beside him during lunch like the missing piece of his puzzle. He wouldn't beam up at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. 

Their entire dynamic would be different. Annabeth finally understood why so few relationships survived past high school. Simply thinking about the mileage between Percy and herself made her want to sink into a foetal position on the ground. 

Great, feeling dejected wasn't much better than being nervous. 

Annabeth couldn't calm her breathing. Every technique her father had taught her went out the window as she twisted uncomfortably in her seat, the room starting to become to claustrophobic for her liking. 

Her gaze flickered to her rucksack that sat on the floor with her sparse belongings; a water bottle, her phone, earphones, a power bank, a notebook and a pen. 

Could she...

No. 

"Damn it," Annabeth muttered frustratedly as she made a split-second decision, grabbing her phone out of the bag and leaping to her feet. 

Her hands trembled as she dialled Percy's number while pacing the waiting room, her fingers gripping the phone like her life depended on it. 

What she wouldn't do for Percy to be at her side right now. 

"Hello?" she croaked. 

"Annabeth?" came Percy's bewildered voice. "Was that a pocket dial?" His tone suddenly shifted into one of enthusiasm. "Is your interview over?" 

"No, no," she said shakily. "I'm in the waiting room — Percy, I-I don't know if I can do this. I don't think I've ever been this terrified in my life, and I was kidnapped by a drug lord last year." Before she could rise to hysteria, Percy shushed her. 

"Woah, breathe, Annabeth," he said gently. 

"Easier said than done," she hissed, her feet propelling her from wall to wall. She counted seven steps before she had to make a U-turn and restart. "Percy, every single person here looks smart than me, and probably has a million more extra-curriculars which they're better at than me!" She pressed a palm to her forehead worriedly, shaking her head. "I'm never going to make it. It was stupid of me to dream of becoming some-some hotshot lawyer in Manhattan, especially when I can't even make it to a dumb interview without completely freaking out!" 

For a few moments, all she could hear was her own wracked breathing, and Annabeth deliriously wondered Percy had hung up on her. 

But then there was a crackling on the other end of the line as Percy began to speak. "Okay, now that you've got that out, you need to realise how ridiculous you sound right now. Annabeth, Albert Einstein could be in that room and not hold a candle to you in brilliance. What sets you apart from all those other people is that you're Annabeth Chase. You think I'm determined? I've never seen you quit anything in my entire life. That includes in middle school, when you insisted on playing the netball tournament with a sprained ankle — which you won, by the way." 

"But there's so much weight on this one interview—"

"No, no, look," Percy interrupted. "Harvard might be super famous or whatever, but if they don't realise how incredible you are, then they aren't worth it. At all. Why should you let a bunch of stuffy professors who would probably burn in the sunlight determine your worth?" 

Annabeth quieted. "You really think so?" 

"Please," Percy chuckled. "You don't need to go to an Ivy League school to be successful. You're going to become the best lawyer the world's ever seen regardless of where you study. I'm more sure of that than I am of anything else." 

"Thank you." She hesitated. "Percy..."

"Yeah?" 

"I've been thinking..." she trailed off. "What if everything works out? As in, what if, by some extraterrestrial miracle, we both get into the university of our choice. I-I don't think we've completely thought through what we plan to do—"

"We'll solve that problem when we get to it," Percy said easily, his voice utterly free of doubt. "Look, we've got the rest of our lives ahead of us right now. All I know is that I love you." 

"That's enough." Annabeth smiled to herself. "Thanks for this." 

"No problem," came Percy's reply. "Seems like pep talks are kind of our thing." 

"I should get back to," she pulled a face. "My agonising wait." 

"If you get nervous again, just think about how bad Jason's latest attempt to make blue cookies was." 

It worked; she laughed. "Are you ever going to let up on that? It's been a year."

Percy snorted. "Are you kidding? A bet's a bet." 

"So, never then," Annabeth muttered with an eye-roll. 

"I will get my mum to make some for you when you get back. There, something to look forward to." 

"Definitely. Bye, Percy." 

"Bye." 

The line clicked off, leaving Annabeth standing in the room. Not all her worries had been quenched, but Percy had definitely given her more confidence. Enough, certainly, to make it through this interview with her wits about her. 

Come on, she told herself sternly. You've worked days and nights for this. 

Annabeth checked her reflection in the trophy display case; long red skirt, off-the-shoulder white blouse. Hell, she looked better than she had at the school dances. 

She slotted her phone back into her bag and settled into her seat, adrenaline thrumming just beneath her skin. Talking to Percy felt like the weight of the sky had been lifted from her shoulders. 

The fateful bells jingled. The previous candidate — Carmen — stepped out, looking visibly relaxed as she shot Annabeth a look that only someone who'd already gotten the worst of it over could give. 

"Annabeth Chase," the same woman as before announced. Annabeth read the badge pinned to her blouse — the Dean if Admissions. 

Annabeth rearranged her features in a warm smile. "Ms Harper, it's a pleasure to meet you."


	44. The SATs

"Everyone, meet Percy and Annabeth!" James declared as he dragged them to the front of the meeting room. 

Percy waved brightly at the room — consisting of the precinct captain, lieutenant and three other detectives. 

One of the detectives, a middle-aged Chinese man raised his hand. "Which is which?" 

James pointed at him. "Don't be dumb, Ollie." He turned to Percy reassuringly. "Ignore him." 

Sabrina feigned a bored yawn from her position on one of the desks at the front of the room. "Okay, so everyone in here is on the Mortelli case; which, as you'll all remember, is as close to completion as we'll ever get." 

James nodded in agreement. "Now, we don't want him catching any whiff of what we're arranging here, or he'll get spooked and escape to Ecuador or something." 

Percy saw a confused expression cross the face of the female detective beside 'Ollie'. She appraised James with an inquisitive look. "Okay, so what's your plan?" 

"My...plan," James mumbled distractedly, averting his gaze. Percy felt Annabeth nudge him in the side. When he looked over, she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively, jerking her head in the direction of James and the female detective. 

"Nadia," Sabrina cut in, not even bothering to hide the smirk she shot her partner. "Our plan actually involves catching Mortelli in the act — concrete evidence no attorney could dispute." 

James, who appeared to have recovered his wits, gestured to Percy and Annabeth. "Mortelli hates them." Ollie raised a hand again, and James continued, "Exactly, sounds pathetic to have your arch rivals be teenagers — but I'm giving him a free pass." 

"Because he's a psychopath," Annabeth filled in helpfully. 

"Right," Nadia said with understanding. 

The captain, who was older than the lot of them, cleared his throat. "James and Sabrina have already briefed me on their plan, which involves using Percy and Annabeth as bait — again." 

"Won't Mortelli know what's going on?" the lieutenant questioned. "We already used that tactic once."

"Which is why we don't expect it to work ont he first try," Sabrina agreed. "But we're hoping that the prospect of revenge is enough to lure him out. We'll give it a couple of weeks, and if we don't get anywhere, we'll come up with something else." 

"Sorry to have to involve you like this," the captain informed Percy. 

"It's okay," Percy reassured. "She broke his leg once." Annabeth shot him a glare out of the corner of her eye. 

+++++

"Shaded area, Percy," Annabeth reprimanded. "You found the—"

"Unshaded," Percy groaned. "Now I have to start all over again." He propped himself up on his elbows, the springs of Annabeth's bed bouncing beneath his movement as he glumly picked up a pencil and crossed out his answers. 

"Wait, you can just subtract the unshaded area from the whole area," Annabeth nudged him in the side. She was sitting cross-legged on the foot of her bed with an SAT prep book open on her lap. Percy glanced up at her. This has to be way too easy for Annabeth. Why was she even studying? 

When he voiced that thought, Annabeth reminded, "I don't want to get complacent. The moment I stop studying I won't—" 

"Hit your target," Percy rolled his eyes. "I know. Only you would set your goal to be 1600." 

"It's plausible," she protested. 

"Maybe for you," he muttered under his breath. 

+++++

"I think I'm going to faint," Piper whimpered, rocking back and forth on her heels. Frank sat next to her, looking just as nervous. 

It was the last round taking the SATs for the high school seniors, and even though the scores from this would only be added to their applications later in March, every small effort counted. 

Some interviews were already over, but Piper and Frank were two of them who still had all of theirs ahead. Percy's only remaining interview was NYU — next weekend — and he was determined to add his best-yet SAT score to his application. 

All those extra hours of gruelling studying beside Annabeth had culminated in this moment. Percy's head was a jumble of a calming mantra and mathematical formulas. He couldn't wait till this was over and he could head to Walter's with Annabeth for their first study-less date in a very long time. 

Percy forced everything unrelated to the exam out of his head. Their operation to catch Mortelli had yet to be a success; he and Annabeth had been out on three occasions, twice together and once separately, to no avail. The final decision on Gabe's court case would be delivered this coming Friday, and Percy couldn't think about it without feeling nauseous. The NYU interview was looming like a gravestone...

"Hey," Jason whispered, elbowing him in the side. "Focus, right?" 

Percy nodded. Easy for Jason to say; all his interviews were over. 

He clutched his calculator, pencil and identification documents in one hand. Annabeth had sent him a message to remind him of what he needed first thing in the morning. 

He'd texted her back, 'What happened to the "good morning, i love you" messages?'

Her response had been clear; 'try to distract me and i will never send you those messages ever again'. Annabeth still had her interviews with Princeton and Columbia to go. The Yale panel had loved her, much to Annabeth's relief — though not to Percy's surprise — especially when she had rambled on about her passion for architecture. 

Percy knew he wasn't the only person who thought she was adorable — albeit a little boring, though he'd never mention it aloud — when she did that. 

Footsteps alerted him to Annabeth's arrival — late, as usual. 

"Why are you constantly late?" Leo demanded. 

Annabeth scowled. "Shut up. I forgot my pencil case." 

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Your pencil case." 

Her cheeks coloured. "Shut up," she repeated. 

Annabeth shifted her weight from left to right every few seconds, a nervous tic making her chew on her lower lip. 

"Students!" Principal Brown called out. The chatter descended into silence remarkably quickly. "By this point you know the drill. Please file in quietly and find your seats." 

"Oh no," Annabeth gasped. 

Percy peered down at her. "What?" 

"Which way do you write 'd'?" she whispered frantically. 

Percy gave her an incredulous look. "This is what I mean when I say 'smart dumbass', Annabeth." He paused. "Just remember 'bed' looks like a bed. Then you'll remember which way—"

"Got it, thanks." Annabeth visibly relaxed. 

"I will never let you live that down," Percy informed her as they stepped into the hall. She shot him a glare before walking towards her seat. 

+++++

"Raspberry cordial," Annabeth said as she handed Percy a glass of purple soda. "Try it." She raised her own to her lips and sipped. 

It left a stain on her lips that she licked away. Percy smiled at the effort. 

"You know, you don't have to swear off alcohol for me," Percy told her, though he took the soda anyway. 

"I want you to feel safe around me," Annabeth said with a shrug. "Personally, that's way more important than beer that's not even that good." 

She sat down beside him on one of the beach beds by Piper's pool. Piper had given in to pressure and agreed to host the SAT after-party tonight. Her one rule when inviting people was that no one throw up in the pool again. 

Percy nudged Annabeth's knee with his, knowing his face was flushed under the moonlight. "Thanks," he murmured. He couldn't help that he always got flustered whenever they talked about anything real. 

The backdoor into Piper's house burst open, slamming against the back wall with a deafening bang as a flood of people swarmed them. 

Piper and Frank were clinging to each other, words mixing together as they strung together barely intelligible sentences. Jason, who was always the designated driver, supported Leo and Hazel on either side. Drew waved her arms in the air as she danced circles around Silena and her friends, while Matt and Luke stumbled past. 

"We came to find you two," Katie whined. "Party poopers. Come back in." 

"Or don't," Clarisse muttered. "I'm good with that."   
Chris nudged her in the side. Clarisse sighed dramatically. "No, my agreement to be a nicer person does not apply to Prissy." 

"Percy," Percy corrected. 

"No, Prissy," Clarisse waved a hand dismissively. "I have dyslexia." 

Percy scrunched up his nose. "No, I have dyslexia—"

"Okay," Beckendorf cut in. "This could go on all night. Let's talk about something else." 

"Yes, what I want to know is when the two of you actually started dating!" Drew pointed accusatorially at Percy and Annabeth. 

Annabeth blanched beside him. "What?" 

"She's nice drunk Drew," Percy reminded her. "I think she actually wants to know."

"Oh," Annabeth looked up at Drew awkwardly. "Um, September?" 

"And you didn't tell any of us," Hazel said furiously. 

"Well," Annabeth scratched at the back of her head. "We were trying to avoid any weird situations." 

"You mean like this?" Percy hissed. 

Annabeth hid her snort behind a cough. 

"I mean, you ditched me for him before summer even began," Luke told Annabeth, somewhat depressedly.

Percy grinned. "I like this train of thought." 

Annabeth glowered.

"So," Drew said giddily. "He's good in bed, isn't he?" 

Almost instantly, enough blood rushed to Percy's head that he almost passed out right then and there. 

"Next topic," he snapped, tone serious this time. 

"No, no." Matthew's eyes twinkled. "Let's stay on this. Is Annabeth not as good a shag as Drew?" 

"Shut up, Sloan," Jason warned. 

"Ignore him," Annabeth muttered, standing up and pulling Percy to his feet. "Come on, let's go back inside." 

As they tried to move away, Matthew stepped in their path to block them. "Or," he pondered. "Is it because America's favourite couple hasn't actually slept together yet?" 

Percy gave it three seconds until he punched Sloan's lights out. 

"No answer," Matthew mused. "Interesting." 

"You know that you're kind of a massive dick, right?" Annabeth snapped. "Mind your own business." 

"What, so Annabeth's a prude?" Matthew snorted. "Raise your hand if you're surprised." He mimed the look of an epiphany. "Or, even better, maybe she just doesn't like you that much, Jackson."

"I'm a little disappointed," he continued. "I mean, what's the saying, 'A lady in the streets, a freak in the sheets'—" 

Percy started forward but Annabeth beat him to it —

Crack! 

— and she socked Matt Sloan right in the nose.

Percy had to admit that seeing Matt Sloan come into school the next day with bruises blossoming around his nose was extremely satisfying.


	45. Ivy Day

Annabeth's right leg thrummed against the floor distractingly. She was chewing relentlessly at her lower lip in a way that made Percy want to reprimand her. 

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "You're going to bite through it," he blurted out. 

Annabeth flushed a light red. 

"Does this even matter?" Leo pointed out. "Ivy Day's in four days. Your SAT score isn't going to change the results." 

Percy glared at him. "Comforting." 

"No, it's fine," Annabeth said dismissively. "It might've affected my results and it might not have. But it's still the SATs." 

They were huddled around the coffee table in Piper's living room — the location they'd collectively agreed would be the site of all important future decisions. Laptops were opened on everyone's laps, the SAT portal open as they waited impatiently for their latest scores. 

College acceptance letters were due any week now, and the build-up of stress was starting to affect them all. 

"They're in! They're in!" Annabeth almost shrieked as the notification popped up on her screen. 

With a shaking hand. she navigated the page and clicked on her score, Percy peering over her shoulder with anticipation. 

"Holy shit," he swore when he saw the mark. 

The four numbers blurred in Annabeth's vision as a spurt of adrenaline made her giddy with astonishment. 

1600\. 

"I'm dreaming," she said, voice shaky. "I'm actually—this can't be real. I can't—"

The rest of their friends were crowding around her laptop now, ogling the score on the screen. 

Almost at once, the group burst in celebratory shouts and triumphant cheers. Annabeth remained frozen in disbelief as she was hugged from every direction, receiving pats on the back and high fives all around. 

"Why are you so shocked?" Percy laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her into his side. "Wasn't this your goal?" 

"It-it's a goal!" Annabeth emphasised, voice an octave higher than usual. "I set impossible goals all the time! I always aim for 100% on everything but that doesn't mean I actually think I'll get it!"

"You're one of 500 people in our year with that score," Percy shook his head. "I-I'm so proud of you, my God."

Finally, Annabeth's felt her face break into a weak smile as she enveloped Percy, discreetly pecking his cheek. 

"I think this'll be my biggest achievement," she said, taking a picture of the screen to forward to her family. "I-I'll never top this. On my gravestone, it'll say, 'Annabeth Chase, 1600'." 

"Please," Percy rolled his eyes. "By the time you're 30, this won't even be anything important. You'll be the youngest Supreme Court Judge or something." 

His face fell when he saw her eyes sparkle. "No, no, don't—"

"I think it's time to set another impossible goal," Annabeth said, her energy picking back up again, her astonishment subsiding into feverish excitement. "Supreme Court Judge, Percy!" She grabbed his hands and squeezed them. "That's my new dream." 

"What, to be the next Ruth Bader Ginsburg?" 

"Yes," she said, the epitome of seriousness. 

Leo released a string of high-pitched curses that snapped their attention away from Annabeth's insane ambitions to see him squatting on a chair with his eyes practically bulging out of his head. 

Annabeth bounded over, gaping at the '1568' number on his screen. "Leo!" 

"We're smart!" he crowed, leaping onto Annabeth and sending both of them crashing into the carpet, sprawled over each other. 

Mid-laugh, Percy whipped out his phone and snapped a picture of them nearly cackling as they hugged each other in congratulations, a heap of limbs on the floor. 

The scores across the board were varied. Leo and Annabeth were the only ones with really outstanding scores, the rest of them putting in mediocre efforts because it'd been their last one. 

"What about you?" Annabeth said, breathless from the time she'd spent trying to get out from under Leo. Apparently, he was surprisingly heavy. 

Her cheeks were flushed red from the adrenaline and she inched her way into his seat so they were both sitting with one ass cheek on the chair. 

Percy swivelled to stare at screen. "Oh. I haven't checked yet." 

Her jaw dropped. "What?" 

"Well," he flushed. "Between you and Leo celebrating, and me not wanting to see what terrible score I got this time—"

Annabeth shot him a silencing look. "No one is allowed to talk badly about you. Even you." 

"That's not fair. Self-deprecation is 90% of my humour." 

She gave him a pointed look. "Check the score." 

Grumbling, Percy reluctantly pulled up the page. 

A few clicks and a short heart-stopping loading time later— 

1360\. 

Percy choked on his own breath. 

"I PASSED" were the first words out of his mouth, tumbling over each other as he sprang to his feet, knees threatening to buckle. 

Annabeth was equally as shocked as him, but she reacted much better, grinning wildly and pulling him in for a bear hug. The small part of Percy's brain that was still functioning properly took pleasure in the fact that she had to stand on her tip-toes. 

"You didn't just pass, you idiot," Annabeth laughed. "You-you got—"

"I know, I know," Percy's mumbles were muffled, but he was smiling wider than the Cheshire cat. 

1360\. 1360. That was—

That was an actual good mark. 

Percy dreamed of throwing it back in the face of everyone who'd ever told him he'd never make it. Gabe. Mrs Dodds. Nancy Bobofit. Matt Sloan. 

Screw them, because, that's right, Percy Jackson is above average. 

+++++

"I'm going to cry," Annabeth said loudly. "I don't want to do this." 

Fast forward a few weeks from their SAT results, and it was the first few days of April, with everyone's college acceptance letters flooding in. 

The seven of them had made a pact — no opening letters until everyone's were in. Piper had proposed it at first, and just about every one of them scorned the idea. 

But then Ivy Day came, and Annabeth received four emails that she was too afraid to open, and Leo refused to even glance at his from Dartmouth. From there, it was easy to rope everyone in. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, it didn't take long for the emails to arrive. Barely a week after Ivy Day, they were gathered around Piper's coffee table — again — and about to make a life-changing decision. 

"This should not be a thing. Why does my entire future rely on one stupid email?" Hazel said, voice small. 

"The system's dumb," Jason said, elbows against his knees as he rest his chin in his hands solemnly. 

There was a beat of silence. 

"Okay, I'm not going first—"

"I vote Annabeth and Leo!" 

"What?" Leo spluttered. "Why would you throw me under the bus?" 

"Because you two probably got into everything," Piper said accusatorially. "If they rejected you then they need to sort their admissions out." 

"Says 'Northwestern'," Percy pointed out to her. "You got an interview with them!" 

"That's even worse!" Piper said furiously. "They got to make me cry before they even rejected me!" 

"Okay, look," Frank raised his hands in a time-out sign. "Why don't we all open one at the same time?" 

"Can you stop being rational when I'm freaking out?" Percy heard Hazel tell Frank. "It makes me feel crazy." 

He turned to his phone. Three emails sat there lazily as if taunting him. 

NYU, Adelphi University and Queens College. 

For the five thousandth time, Percy wished he'd applied to more schools. 

Build up from the bottom, he figured. Right? Save the best for last. In this case, get rejected by NYU last. 

Percy clicked on the email from Adelphi and scanned through it with bated breath. "I got into Adelphi!" he shouted. 

"Me too!" Jason yelled, racing over to give Percy a slamming high-five. 

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up," Annabeth repeated as a mantra as she opened her own email from them. "Okay, I got Adelphi." 

Her stiff posture didn't lessen in the slightest. 

"See, the difference is that we actually wanted Adelphi," Percy whispered to Jason. Adelphi was Annabeth's safety school, if worst came to worst. 

For him and Jason, Adelphi was a very likely destination. 

Piper was next. "Michigan State accepted me!" She sagged in her seat. "I'm going to college!" 

"NYU," Leo whooped. 

Percy swallowed. He wasn't nearly ready to approach his email from NYU yet.

"I got Illinois!" Hazel shrieked. "Yes!" Frank high-fived her, grinning. 

They made a few more rounds of the, ahem, less interesting universities. These were the back-ups, but they weren't up to anyone's first choice yet. 

Annabeth got accepted into NYU — "Did we ever really expect anything else?" Percy promptly demanded — but Jason didn't. He dropped slightly with disappointment as everyone gave him sympathetic looks. 

"I have Adelphi, at least," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Pray for Parsons, please." 

Another happy cheer as Piper announced her acceptance into the University of Illinois. 

"We can go together," she gushed to Frank, who hadn't opened his email from Illinois yet and was almost sweating into his seat. "Frank, there's so much to do there! It's gonna be so fun!" 

Jason seen Frank an amused smirk. 

"Okay, we're past the nonsense ones now," Leo declared. "Who's going first?" 

Choruses of "Annabeth!" filled the room. 

"What?" she demanded. 

"You have four Ivy League ones!" Percy protested. "Open one of them!"

The others leaned forward with anticipation, and Annabeth cracked after two seconds. 

"Fine, fine!" she said exasperatedly. "I'll do Columbia, happy?" 

Percy watched her expression closely as her eyes skimmed over the first line of the email, widening for a split second, and then he knew to surge forward and envelop her in a hug. 

"I got into Columbia!" she cheered, hugging him back even more tightly. Supportive shouts came from their friends as her initiative spurred them on to open their own emails. 

"Open NYU," she urged when Percy pulled away. "Come on. I'll sit with you and everything." 

Percy arched an eyebrow. "Only if you look at Princeton's first." 

"But I just opened Columbia!" 

"But you have three more to look at," Percy reminded. "When you get to Yale, I'll open NYU, deal?" 

She sent him a sidelong stink-eye, but sat back down on the ground, her laptop perched on the coffee table. Percy sidled in next to her, peering at her computer screen. 

Shouts were going up around them. 

"I got into Parson's!" Jason was spread across the couch, close to passing out from relief. It was that fancy design school he wanted, and Percy felt so insanely proud of all his friends he couldn't even believe it. 

"Oh, damn, waitlisted by Dartmouth," Leo said disappointedly. His eyes sprang wide again. "Caltech! I got Caltech!" Leo crowed, and was weighed down by Hazel practically jumping onto him in elation. 

Annabeth opened her email from Princeton. She read faster than him, and when she leaned into his side smiling, Percy knew that she'd gotten in. 

"Good job," he whispered amidst all the commotion surrounding them. "You have no idea how proud of you I am." 

"Thank you," she laughed, more relaxed now that she'd gotten an offer from one of her top choices. "Harvard next?" Princeton was already such a good school, and she was still striving for the next step up. It was one of the things that scared and amazed Percy the most about her. 

Percy shuddered just thinking about having to open a letter from Harvard. That was...way too upmarket for him to even comprehend. 

She clicked on the email, her face so close to the screen her nose was almost bumping against it. 

"I got into Harvard!" Annabeth leaped to her feet, hands over her mouth. "Oh my God! Percy! I got—I got into—"

And then he was twirling her around, laughing giddily, because this was Harvard, and Percy couldn't even believe that he knew someone who got accepted there. 

"MIT accepted me!" Leo said suddenly, collapsing onto the sofa. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God—"

"Leo!" It was Annabeth's turn to crash into him and they hugged each other so tightly Percy was afraid one of them would pop. "Leo, it's happening. It's really happening!" 

Percy could safely say that he'd never felt so happy in his life. He'd started off middle school with these people, and even though he hadn't known most of them until last year, it was heart-warming to think about where they were right now. 

Their two geniuses were huddled together in foetal positions and they were making choices that were about to hurtle them into adulthood. Terrifying, honestly. 

"Come over here and open your email from NYU now," Annabeth told him sternly. 

Percy shook his head nervously. 

"Not a choice!"

As he clambered open, sitting on the floor at Leo and Annabeth's feet, the others started to gather round too. 

This was it. Percy knew that the last few years had culminated in this one moment. It kind of sucked how quickly it was gonna be over. 

But this was his ticket away from Gabe — the final, seal-the-deal confirmation that he'd never have to go back to him — to making sure his mother got the wonderful life she deserved, to possibly — and Percy turned his head to the right, seeing Annabeth smiling at him like he hung the sun and moon — just maybe, building a life with the girl he loved.

Percy opened the email. 

Dear Mr Jackson,  
We are pleased to inform you—

"I GOT IN!" Percy hollered, his vision going all blurry with spots for a moment as he braved himself against the coffee table so as not to keel over. "I GOT INTO NYU!" 

"Yes!" Annabeth shrieked, and she really did leap onto him this time, arms around his neck and legs around his waist in real koala-fashion as he swung them around mid-hug, laughing like a lunatic. 

Hazel and Frank were first to mob them, piling onto Percy, and then it was everyone in a massive group hug — the first one they'd ever had, actually — laughing madly and holding each other tight. 

Just for this one moment, Percy shut his eyes. I don't want anything to change, he thought helplessly. 

Before he could dwell on it further, Annabeth hopped down and everyone peeled themselves off him. 

There was a flurry of movement as everyone shuffled towards Piper and Hazel, who were now squeezed into a single armchair, checking their own results. 

"Northwestern," Piper said nervously, glancing at Hazel. 

"Chicago," she replied, equally as afraid. They exchanged looks before opening the emails. 

A split second passed as Piper's gaze flickered to her screen and then to Hazel's before triumph broke out across her face. 

"Yes, Hazel!" she yelled, enveloping the other girl in an embrace. Hazel laughed as she leaned into it, both giddy with happiness at getting into their first-choice schools. 

"I don't think anyone could be prouder than I am right now," she informed him with a smile, echoing his earlier words. 

"Well," Percy gestured to her laptop. "Let's find out." 

The bubble of tension surrounding Annabeth could be cut with a knife. She pulled her laptop up, leaning into Percy's side as she anxiously hovered the cursor over the email addressed to her from Yale University. 

"What if this," she hesitated. "What if this changes everything?" 

"How?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "Annabeth, I've always known you were going to be more successful than me." 

"Not that—" she broke off again, brow furrowed. 

"Annabeth," Percy said seriously. "Whatever it is, it's not going to affect us. This is—this is the one thing in my life I can rely on. That's a promise." He pushed her hand aside on the trackpad and opened the email. 

Annabeth sucked in a breath like she'd been punched when he opened the email, but she was scanning the letter too quickly to tell him off. 

Her breath came out in a whoosh. 

"I-I got in," she stammered, turning to look up at him in astonishment. "I got—" Her face lit up like fireworks. "I got into Yale!" Annabeth cried, tossing her laptop onto the sofa and throwing her arms around him. "Oh my God, thank you for opening the email! Thank you for—oh my God—I got into Yale!"

Percy staggered back a few steps under her weight, but he was laughing, quickly pulling her chin up to kiss her, grasping the opportunity before their friends turned their attention back to them. 

She kissed him back fervently for a moment before they drew apart, her eyes shining like this was a moment they was going to remember forever. Percy knew it was.


	46. Dates and Bait

"One scoop of blueberry and one of mango, please," Annabeth said, handing over a wad of cash to the cashier. His eyes flickered between Percy and her, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. 

It always made Annabeth laugh when people thought they were a cute couple. 

When they got their ice cream, Percy directed them to one of the tables outside. Annabeth had only been in this ice cream shop for five minutes and she was already in love with the place. 

There was a recurring pastel theme throughout the shop, and of course, Percy chose the pastel blue chairs and table outside the shop for them to sit in. 

"Dork," she told him meaningfully as she sat down in the chair and placed his blueberry ice cream on his side of the table. 

Percy stared at the ice cream. "You remembered my order." 

Annabeth dug into her ice cream. "Of course, I did. You're my boyfriend." 

"We haven't been out for ice cream since that first time in the park," Percy pointed out. He tried for a knowing look. "I knew you were hopelessly in love with me since the start." 

Annabeth snorted. "Sure." As she returned to her ice cream, she was peripherally aware of Percy still gazing curiously at her. 

"Okay, that's going to get annoying quickly," Annabeth said. "You want to say something. Say it." 

"Don't blame me for being a bit anxious," Percy protested. "We're supposed to be baiting a mob boss. How are you relaxed right now?" 

"The amount of stress I experienced during the college application process?" Annabeth reminded him. "Nothing will ever top that. Someone could mug be in the street and I'd smile at them." 

They'd been out a lot on James and Sabrina's instruction. Sometimes Percy went alone, sometimes Annabeth went alone, but on times like today, they got to be together in a high-pressure situation on a tip-off that Mortelli was supposed to be in Queens. Fun. 

"Might as well take this time to talk," Percy suggested. 

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Really." 

"We've barely seen each other," Percy insisted. "School's been busy, and sending in our college decision. I mean, you're gonna have to pack for Yale soon—" 

"Mhm," Annabeth interrupted, staring down at her ice cream. It was melting now, in the heat of late May, and she set her spoon down. 

"Something's bothering you," Percy said sternly. "Are we going to ignore it or talk about it?" 

"Well, clearly you won't let me ignore it," she grumbled. 

Percy's nose scrunched up. "Is this about what Sloan said the other day? About us," Percy blushed. "You know. Not having had sex yet." 

"You blush like you're a nun," Annabeth informed him. Actually, that hadn't been what she'd been thinking about, but...it was one of the issues she'd been dwelling on lately. 

Matt Sloan had always been a dick, but over the last few weeks, he'd been even more of a dick than normal. Probably because he hadn't been accepted into any colleges. 

Served him right, in Annabeth's opinion. He'd spent his entire high school life bullying anyone he thought inferior. Karma, really. 

Whatever it was, Matt had been giving them a hard time whenever their paths crossed. Teasing Annabeth about being a prude, taunting Percy about their relationship not being serious enough. 

Even Annabeth, who was usually level-headed, was minutes away from exploding like a time bomb. 

"It bothers me that he talks about it," Annabeth said. "I mean, self-explanatory as to why." 

"Yeah, but," Percy paused. "Does it bother you for...I don't know," he hesitated. "See, we haven't really talked about this since we first started dating." 

Annabeth gaped at him for a few seconds, which hopefully relayed, no way. It had been an entire school year since they first started dating. 

"I just wanted to see where you are with that?" Percy trailed off, groaning. "I'm sorry, this is such an awkward topic—"

Annabeth laughed. "No, no, it's fine." She shrugged, feeling herself start to blush. "Actually, I mean, it wouldn't be the worst thing if..." She cut herself off, "Oh God, why is this so weird?" 

"It would probably help if we weren't having this conversation in public," Percy said helpfully. "Actually, I'm pretty sure the old lady who just walked past heard us." 

Annabeth buried her face in her hands with a moan. "Urgh, I hate you." 

"No, you don't." 

She squinted at him. "Debatable." 

They sat there for another fifteen minutes, and when nothing happened, Percy insisted they leave and go past the hotdog stand they passed on the way here. 

"We've got no duties now, we're done," he insisted. "Please." 

Annabeth glared at him. "It's the puppy eyes. Stop it." He dragged her in the direction of the place anyway. 

"Percy," she said suddenly, pulling him to a stop. 

"Hm?" He turned around, and the thing about Percy was that, even though he had ADHD and often drifted in and out of his train of thought, when he gave her his full attention, it was his full attention. 

It was green eyes and patient, expectant waiting. 

"What we were talking about earlier?" Annabeth said slowly. "I, um, I would be up for it." 

Percy opened his mouth, then closed it. 

"That's how you tell me you're ready for a major milestone?" Percy said incredulously. "'I'd be up for that'," he quoted in a horrible imitation of her voice. 

"You might want to be careful," Annabeth warned. "I am not beyond withholding sex." 

Percy grinned, elbowing her playfully in the side. "Look at us. Acting like adults." 

"That's what you define as acting like adults—"

A heavy force slammed into Annabeth's back, sending her crumpling to the ground like a piece of paper. She caught her fall on her elbows, wincing at the bolt of pain that shot through her arms. 

When she regained her vision and looked up, Annabeth saw the man who'd barrelled into her punch Percy in the jaw.

Reaching into her coat pocket, Annabeth frantically pressed the beeper James had given her. Well, apparently their plan had worked a little too well. 

There was a screeching of tires — for a moment Annabeth was astonished by how quickly the detectives had gotten here, but she then realised, oh no — and a dark car with blacked-out windows recklessly swerved into the small, empty road beside them. 

"Percy!" Annabeth yelled, racing towards him. She shoved the man in the chest and dragged Percy away, but she knew there wasn't any point. 

The sound of an engine gunning up drew her attention back; police vehicles were barricading the road. She could see Sabrina on a motorcycle behind Mortelli's car, and James sitting behind her. 

"Hands up, NYPD!" one of the officers shouted, holding a gun up. 

"Percy," Annabeth demanded, shaking her boyfriend. "Percy, come on." There was a bruise blossoming on his jaw, and he looked disorientated enough to indicate a concussion. "Percy—"

Before she could yank him down and out of the commotion, he was wrenched back by the man, the initial perpetrator, who gave her a toothy grin before dragging Percy off. 

The only logical part of Annabeth's brain forced her to the ground as the first shot went off. Her hand slipped from Percy's as he was dragged away, and even though it had probably just saved her life, Annabeth cursed that part of her brain. 

The gun's kickback volume deafened Annabeth and set off a chain reaction as a full-out gunfight began in the street. 

"Annabeth!" It was Nadia, one of the detectives, geared up from head to toe in a bulletproof vest and more. "This way!" She handed her a Kevlar vest that Annabeth impatiently shrugged on as they ran towards the fight. 

Before Annabeth could step towards Percy, Nadia tugged on her arm in alarm. 

"You can't," Nadia shouted over the commotion. "Too dangerous." 

"I can't just leave him!" Annabeth almost screamed. She had almost lost Percy far too many times. 

She swivelled back in horror to see the car door slam with Percy inside it. The wheels turned, tires screeching horribly, and then it was off barrelling between the two police cars ahead and zipping down the avenue. 

"Shit," James cursed, running up to her. "Annabeth, you have to get in the car and go back—"

"Like hell I will," Annabeth snarled. "Percy's in that car. Look, there's an alleyway you can—"

"It's too dangerous for a civilian out here, James," Nadia insisted. 

"I used to live in the city!" Annabeth begged. "Please, just — I know this area. There's a road—"

"No time," James interrupted. He gave her a grim look. "How sure about this are you?" 

"One hundred percent," Annabeth said firmly. 

James swallowed. "Okay. Get in the car." 

There were still shouts from officer to officer as Annabeth climbed into the car, heart hammering against her ribcage. There were FBI agents here — she could see the label on their jackets — and members of a SWAT team too. 

James slid into the driver's seat and punched the gas, and they shot off down the road. 

"Right, left, left," Annabeth ordered, and to her surprise, he actually listened. To a 17 year-old girl. 

In her mind, she could almost visualise the exact map of the area. 

She'd grown up in Queens when her father and her mother — her birth mother — were still together. It had been a short four years. All Annabeth remembered of it was shouting and yelling and an endless stream of arguments, but for some reason, the area was imprinted indelibly in her brain. There was a candy shop down the road run by Mr Petrakos, and then there was the library two streets down. 

Annabeth knew the web of roads like the back of her hand. Mortelli didn't. He'd take the main road, but she knew the back alleys they could use to cut him off. 

"Work," she murmured under her breath as they came up onto one of the bigger roads. "They should be coming out right here—"

James skidded onto the road, desperately turning the wheel as they spun around — and then sure enough, Mortelli's car came racing up to them. 

Whoever the driver was, he didn't hit the brakes soon enough, and Annabeth realised a second too late. "Swerve," she cried, and James tried, but the other car slammed into them from behind in a messy collision and a deafening crunch.


	47. Think, Annabeth

Ow. 

That was the first thought to enter Annabeth's head. 

She groaned softly, pain emanating from almost everywhere in her body. Her head was throbbing, her arms were painfully pinned down, and there was an ache in her legs. 

A rush of memories flooded her. The vehicles colliding. Their car flipping over a couple of time and probably giving Annabeth a nasty concussion. She blinked the wetness in her eyes away. Not now. 

Adrenaline pounded in her veins as Annabeth struggled to get a look around. The car was upside down, and the windows were absolutely smashed, small glass pieces scattered everywhere, and probably embedded somewhere on her body. 

"James," Annabeth croaked. "James." She struggled to turn her head to the right, but when she did, she saw the detective lying unconscious with a nasty gash across his forehead. He was breathing though; always a good sign. 

With trembling hands, Annabeth tried to push the car off her. No, that was a stupid idea. It didn't even budge. Next, she tried to wiggle her way out via the window, pushing down the car's air bags that had exploded out during the crash. 

Her right arm was almost wrenched out of its socket, and she released a hiss of agony, but Annabeth got her arms out. With a weird clawing motion, she pulled herself forward, dragging her legs out in a fashion that was going to scar them for weeks on end. 

Annabeth felt the rough tar of the road graze her knees and elbows, but she was glad to be out of there. When she turned back exhaustedly, she saw the car was an absolute wreck. The rear end had been smashed in and the metal was crumpled like paper. 

She hurried to James' side of the car, and with a few pulling and pushing motions, managed to drag him away from the site. If the car exploded, neither one of them should be near it. 

When she deposited him on the pavement, Annabeth glanced back warily to see car fuel leaking out from its side. The fuel tank had been punctured clearly. 

Everything Leo had ever rambled on about combustion engines and cars streamed through her brain. 

Her train of thought was interrupted when her eyes roved over to the second car in the crash, and her heart promptly dropped to her stomach. 

"Percy!" Annabeth yelled.

No reply. The other police cars hadn't caught up to them yet, and because they were in a seedy part of Queens the rundown buildings' residents were clearly just minding their own business. 

Annabeth looked down at James and even though she hated herself for it, she slid his gun out of the holster. She didn't even know how to shoot a gun. In fact, Annabeth was astutely anti-gun and pro gun control, but apparently today was just full of surprises. 

As she surged forward, Annabeth eyed the wreckage for any sign of Mortelli or his men. The sound of sirens told her that the police were hear. Annabeth was beyond terrified, but her mind could only focus on one thing; Percy. 

She needed to find him. 

"Hey!" 

Annabeth dove instinctively, crouching behind the car she'd arrived here in as the sound of a bullet rang out. 

Two figures appeared on either side of her; Sabrina and Nadia, both armed and looking out warily. They crouched behind the car, using it as cover. 

"Stay here," Sabrina told Annabeth sternly. "Look, they've already got Percy. We can't," her expression hardened. "We can't let them take you too." 

Annabeth gritted her teeth, but nodded. 

Another shot rang out, and this time, both Sabrina and Nadia leaped to their feet. 

"Nobody move!" 

It was a roar. 

Mortelli. 

The voice sent a shiver down her spine. 

"One wrong move and we shoot! The two detectives. Come out and put your guns down or we shoot the boy." 

Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut. No. If Mortelli even harmed a hair on Percy's head she was going to hunt him to the depths of hell. 

There were footsteps as Nadia and Sabrina stepped out, walking towards Mortelli. 

Annabeth scrambled quietly to the edge of the car, peering out from behind it. Sabrina and Nadia had their weapons trained on Mortelli's three henchmen, who were in turn aiming their guns at him. 

Mortelli had the barrel of his gun against Percy's head, buried in his hair, and it made Annabeth want to throw up. Percy looked too stricken to move, to even breathe, and she had no idea how he wasn't running away screaming right now. 

The other agents and officers were frozen. Move and Mortelli shot Percy. James was still on the sidewalk, slowly bleeding from a wound in his side. He needed first aid now. 

Mortelli said something else, but Annabeth drowned him out irritatedly. 

Think, Annabeth. 

This wasn't a movie. She couldn't jump up and single-handedly take out all the bad guys. James' life was at stake. Percy's life was at stake. 

Apparently, she could get into Yale and Harvard, but when it really counted, she couldn't come up with even a smidge of a plan. 

Her shaking hands accidentally knocked against the cold metal of the gun laying by her knee. Annabeth looked down at the gun. And then at the leaking fuel tank. 

Quite possibly the worst idea popped into her head. 

Annabeth's gaze flickered around. And Jason told her all that extra-reading was useless. All those math questions about Barry buying 750 watermelons weren't going to be much help right now, were they? 

Lethal radius of an explosion depended on fragment mass distribution...

All she needed was a distraction. She did not want to kill Mortelli, no matter how bad he was, and she definitely did not accidentally want to kill her boyfriend. (Especially right after they'd basically agreed to have sex at some point.) 

Annabeth didn't know the exact math and modelling, but she could just about estimate that the explosion from this wouldn't annihilate them all. 

Slowly, she crept away from the car, careful to keep her head down and out of Mortelli's sight. He was still monologuing — typical villain. 

Annabeth clicked the safety off of James' gun and tried her best to aim it at the rupture in the gas tank. 

Oh God. This was going to be the death of her. 

Before she could second-guess this terrible plan, Annabeth pulled the trigger. 

The first thing to happen was for the unexpected kickback to send her sprawling to the ground. 

The second thing was that Annabeth's estimate of an explosion had been so agonisingly off.

The car didn't just light up with fire. Its entire side was blown up and hurtled into the air. The carcass of the vehicle crumbled with a loud bang. 

Annabeth scrambled to her feet and sprinted away, the debris crashing down right where she'd been standing. 

The third thing was that it was the perfect distraction. Mortelli glanced up in surprise, his henchmen faltering for a split second. 

The other officers and agents leapt into action. Sabrina wrenched the gun out of one of the henchman's grip, while Nadia made a beeline for Percy, who had kicked Mortelli out by the legs. 

Annabeth stood by watching open-mouthedly as the everything was over as quickly as it had begun. 

Only when the final click of the handcuffs over Mortelli's hands resounded did she start to relax. 

Problem was, once the adrenaline faded, Annabeth started to feel the rest of her wounds it had previously covered up. 

"Oh, you were great," Sabrina told her with a smile. "Come on, let's get you checked up." 

Annabeth held out a hand. "Um, first can I..." Her eyes had already landed on Percy, and she raced away from Sabrina without saying another word. 

"Percy!" Annabeth gasped when she finally got to him. He ran forward, pulling her into a hug with a disbelieving laugh. 

"He's gone," Percy said, almost secretively, as if saying it aloud would break the spell. "He's actually—we're actually done." 

Within minutes, there was an ambulance on site. Annabeth was glad for it, not only for the other two officers who'd gotten shot in the action, and for James, but because she was a few second away from keeling over. 

She was overwhelmed by a heightened sense of fatigue, and the paramedics were quick to give her a once-over. 

Both she and Percy had concussions. 

"Aw," he said to that. "We're twinning." 

And shortly after, one of the paramedics draped a large orange blanket over their shoulders. 

Annabeth frowned. "What the hell is this?" 

"A shock blanket," Percy informed her. He paused. "Can we just take a second to appreciate that I knew that and you didn't?" 

Annabeth eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know that?" 

Percy flushed. "I watched Sherlock with Frank and Hazel." 

A highlight of the evening was when an FBI agent — leader of the task force trying to take Mortelli down once and for all — thanked them for their help. When Percy admitted he was hoping to join the police academy soon, the agent winked at him. "I'll put in a good word for you," she promised. 

Sunset came and they gave their statements. And then it was just them sitting at the back of the first aid truck, staring at the stars. 

"It's feel kind of anti-climactic, doesn't it?" Annabeth asked. "Is that just me?" 

Percy shrugged. "I don't know. Everything has been quite anti-climactic so far. It's—it's all moving too fast. First, Gabe. Now this." He swallowed. "And then college." 

Annabeth shut her eyes. "Let's not. No college talk." 

She could feel Percy's inquisitive gaze on her, but for once, he didn't probe, and she had never been more glad. 

His hand found its way into hers, and they lay like that for a few more minutes. Nothing else in the world but them.


	48. Promposal

"Percy." 

"Mhm?" Percy turned his head to look at Annabeth. She was lying on his bed reading a book while he sat cross-legged on the floor and played a video game. 

On the screen, Leo's avatar ran over to duck behind the trash can and shoot at their enemies. 

"Can I ask you something?" 

Percy pressed the pause button, warning an angry emotion notification from Jason, as if to say 'Hey, man'. Frank waved. Setting the controller down, Percy scrambled to his feet, clambering onto the bed to lie down beside her. "Sensing that this is a serious conversation." 

Annabeth fell silent for a moment, her hand hovering as she brushed her fingers against the healing wound on his head. Percy shivered, remembering the gun pressing into the back of his skull. 

When she opened her mouth, Annabeth said the last thing that Percy ever thought she'd say. "Should I go to NYU?" 

Percy blinked. "What?" He shook his head. "Wait. What?" 

Annabeth looked down at her hands, fiddling awkwardly with them. "Well, I mean, it's a perfectly good school. Their economics course is fine. I'd get to stay in New York...well, I'd get to stay with you. Wouldn't you prefer that?" 

Percy turned on his side so he was facing her. Annabeth looked so torn he couldn't believe it. "Is this what's been bothering you for the last few weeks?" 

"Yes," she muttered embarrassedly. 

"Okay, firstly," he said. "I would love it if you went to NYU. Of course, I mean I'd get to see you everyday. We'd be in the same city." Percy tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "But, secondly." 

He cocked his head to the side. "Tell me the truth. Do you actually like the economics course at NYU? As in, if you go to NYU, can you tell me with absolute confidence that you'll be going for the education?" 

She picked at the strings on his hoodie. "No," she muttered. 

"Then why is this even a question?" 

"Because I feel guilty," Annabeth blurted out. "I-I'm leaving you. I hate the thought of leaving you, Percy. I don't even like it remotely when we don't see each other for a week. We'd be in different cities — hell, we'd be in different states." 

"Yes, but this is Yale," Percy reminded her. "You've worked your ass off for this. And there's no way you're going to give that up just because you feel guilty." He shrugged. "And there's nothing to feel guilty for." 

"It's not gonna be difficult?" 

"It's gonna be so difficult," Percy corrected. "I'm going to miss you so much it'll physically hurt. I mean, last summer, it was bad, and we weren't even dating yet. I hate being away from you, but you don't have anything to feel guilty for because I'll hate it a little less knowing how much you'll love it there." 

"So we'll both be happy," Annabeth said slowly. "Me at Yale and you at NYU. Miles apart." 

"This problem would be solved if I was smarter," Percy told her. "We could be that genius couple. People would be all 'woah'." 

"Smart Percy would be...weird." 

"Ouch." 

That earned him a smile. 

"I guess if we can get through everything else," Annabeth paused. "I mean Gabe, Mortelli—"

"Drew," Percy added. "I would put her very high up on that list." 

Annabeth laughed. "Right, Drew — then we can live with being an hour away from each other." 

"I'll drive down on the weekends," Percy offered. "Seriously. I'll fail if you don't help me with school. I'm only half-joking." He squinted at her, noticing her brow furrowed. "You're thinking about something bad again." 

"It's a drive too," Annabeth complained. "Everything's changing." She flopped back onto the bed. "I hate it." 

"I hate that you won't live five minutes from me," she listed off, counting on one hand. "I hate that I won't see Piper, Jason, Leo, Hazel and Frank anymore. I hate that our group of friends will only last about two more months before we forget each other. I hate that—" Annabeth frowned. "I hate that it'll never be like this again." 

"Look, I get it," Percy admitted, pulling her into his side. They lay down, curled up into each other. "There was a time when I couldn't wait to get out of school. And now it's just—it's over in two days. And I don't want it to be." 

Annabeth chewed on her lip. "What if we break up?" 

Percy looked down at her. "Why do I have to be the rational one today?" 

"You've got to pick up the burden some days," Annabeth said. 

"We won't," Percy said with a shrug. "Don't know how to explain it but I just know. I'm more sure about that than me graduating college." 

"That isn't very sure then." 

"Shut up." 

Annabeth was shaking, and when Percy looked down he saw that it was a result of her silent laughter. 

"Even if everything else changes," Annabeth said slowly. "We have us, right? Statistic may be against us but we have..." She winced. "What do we have?" 

"Love?" Percy said doubtfully. They both laughed this time. 

"Corny," she accused. Her eyes lit up. "Speaking of corny. I have something for you." Annabeth vaulted off the bed so nimbly that Percy felt like a bumbling elephant. 

"I'm feeling so important today," Percy noted, sitting up. He swung his legs over the side of his bed as Annabeth rummaged around in her bag. "First all the questions, and now a gift? It's too much. I'm feeling smothered..."

He trailed off when Annabeth got down on one knee before him, hand held out with a dazzling smile. In her hand was a Ring Pop, with the red gemstone candy sitting atop the plastic yellow ring. 

"Percy Jackson," Annabeth managed between her laughs. "Will you do be the incredible honour of being my date to prom tomorrow night?" 

"Yes," Percy said dramatically. "Yes, a thousand times 'yes'." He grinned as he helped her up and Annabeth slipped the drugstore gag gift onto his finger. 

He licked at the candy. "Mm. Strawberry." 

+++++

The moment he stepped into the sports hall, Percy was stunned to silence. 

"You've outdone yourself this year," he told Piper, who sat on the decorating committee. 

Piper snorted, "It'd better be amazing. I lost sleep over this, you know." 

Fairy lights were draped across the basketball stands, and the ceiling lights had been dimmed to a peaceful, romantic setting. 

Prom night was the last night of the school year — of their high school lives, actually. Percy hadn't expected any school event to be this nice. 

Piper dragged him over to their table, where Hazel and Leo were having a competition of who could drink YooHoo the fastest out of the silly straws, with Jason moderating. 

Hazel won. 

Percy was certain he could beat her, no effort. 

"Hello," Annabeth said brightly as she neared their table, giving Percy a brief side-hug before she slipped into the chair between Frank and Piper. 

Percy hugged her from behind the chair. "You look amazing, by the way." That was an understatement. 

She was in a red dress that did way too many things to him and made Percy want to blush. He'd seen in before, but, well, this was prom night, and she'd spent time with Hazel earlier today getting ready. And it was Annabeth. She always looked breathtaking. 

Hazel glanced between the red rose in Percy's breast pocket and Annabeth's dress. "Look at that. You're matching." 

"And we didn't even have to trick you into it this time," Leo muttered into his YooHoo, hiding a smirk. Piper elbowed him in the side, whispering "Be discreet" in the least discreet manner possible. 

Percy sniffed his red cup. "Did you spike the punch?" he asked Leo accusatorially. 

Leo put his hands up in surrender. "It was the Stolls, I swear." He squinted at Percy. "I don't think you'll ever not be scary." 

"Sure," Annabeth snorted. "He's terrifying." 

Percy's jaw dropped. "Hey, you thought I was scary before." 

"I distinctly remember punching you," Annabeth reminded. 

"Dark times," Percy said. "Let's not." 

"Oh, no, let's," Piper said, eyes gleaming, earning groans from everyone. "Come on, for nostalgia's sake! Go around the table and say something that's changed." 

She nudged her boyfriend expectantly. 

Jason scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Um. Well, Percy and I don't hate each other anymore." 

Percy shot him a thumbs-up. "Right. And," he glanced at Annabeth. "Pretty obviously, Annabeth and I don't hate each other anymore." 

"Leo and Frank are friends," Annabeth said, gesturing to the two of them. 

"Jury's still out," Frank shrugged with a grin, to which Leo responded, "Hey!" 

"Percy and Annabeth started dating," Hazel piped up. 

"By the way," Piper cut in. "Can we settle the betting pool once and for all? I'm pretty sure Beckendorf owes me twenty bucks." 

Percy snorted. "You bet on us?" 

"Of course," Piper said unabashedly. "The thing is we never figured out who won because we didn't even know you were dating for two months." 

"I had by Thanksgiving," Jason volunteered. 

"Doesn't count because I said over the summer," Frank countered. 

"I said secret relationship since spring, so, I mean," Leo spread his hands. "Who's to say who won." 

"Definitely not you," Piper deadpanned. 

"I had 'Annabeth asks' for ten," Hazel reminded. Heads swivelled to face them. 

Annabeth shrugged. "Hazel wins ten bucks." 

Simultaneous groans and cheers went around the table.


	49. The Last Night

Percy stopped before the gate, reluctantly slipping his hand out of Annabeth's grip. "Guess this is it, huh?" 

They'd been through the motions a thousand times before. They were neighbourhooders — according to Percy, a play on the word 'neighbours' — so they took turns on who got to be dropped off first after every date they had. 

It was usually in the afternoon, and on rare occasions later in the evening, but tonight — tonight was different. Tonight was the end of an era, for Annabeth at least. She was clad in red and his collar was open, and it was their last night of high school. 

He always dropped her off here. They'd say goodbye, maybe kiss if they were feeling bold. Annabeth would make a joke at his expense, Percy would make an indignant sound, but then they'd kiss again and then the "goodnight" comes. 

Except tonight was different. 

Percy was a gentleman. He always waited until she was inside of the house to leave. She did the same whenever she dropped him off at her house, but it always felt nice to be standing on her doorstep, then look over her shoulder and wave to Percy one last time. He'd flash a goofy grin and wave back. 

Except tonight Annabeth stopped before she could open the gate. She turned around with bated breath. "Do you want to come in?" 

Silence hung between them. It was never awkward with Percy, and it wasn't awkward right now. But there was a trepidation, a sort of anticipation in the air. 

Annabeth knew that she wouldn't take another breath until he replied, which meant she could very well be passed out on the floor any second now. 

"Sure," Percy said, off-handedly, but even in the darkness, Annabeth could see the small grin he allows himself. It made her smile at what a dork he was. Because that was Percy Jackson's best-kept secret. No one seemed to have cracked it yet but her. 

Annabeth could feel butterflies flapping wildly in her stomach. The after-party had been at Silena's, and it was almost midnight by the time everyone started to file out. One last hurrah. There were teary goodbyes and promises to meet up again soon. 

There was still the whole summer until Annabeth had to leave for school, so she knew she'd still see her friends. But Silena, Beckendorf, even Clarisse (which she'd never admit aloud)...she wouldn't be seeing them again for a long, long time. 

It was a weird feeling, knowing this was the end of a lot of things. Annabeth missed the days when they didn't really know what was ahead of them. 

It helped that Percy was here. In fact, he seemed to sense the mixed emotions radiating off of her because he took her hand in his and pulled her into his side. 

They reached the doorstep, where Annabeth hastily turned the keys in the lock.

She was first to cross the threshold, taking her shoes off and putting them up on the rack. 

"I can feel my toes," Annabeth sighed happily, wriggling her feet against the mat. She turned around to face Percy, who was standing awkwardly in the doorstep. 

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "I wish I had a camera right now. You're such a Seaweed Brain. Come on, just leave your shoes at the front." 

Annabeth dropped her bag on the couch. Even her house felt different tonight...although that was for a completely different reason. 

"Helen's away for a conference. The twins are at a sleepover," Annabeth said, unable to keep the nerves out of her voice. She swallowed. Oh no. The one time she needed her wits about her and she was completely useless at communication. 

To her relief, Percy seemed to feel the same way. His face was redder than a tomato. "So..." he paused. "We're alone." 

Another beat of silence. 

"Urgh," Annabeth groaned. "Is this too weird?" she demanded. "It shouldn't be like this, should it?" 

"Probably not," Percy said, equally frustrated. He ran a hand through his hair, looking more dejected than she felt. 

Annabeth felt bad. They'd talked about it too recently, put too much pressure on it. And now, after almost a year of buildup, the stakes were too high. What if it wasn't perfect? What if it wasn't everything she'd ever thought it'd be? 

"We don't have to do anything, you know," Annabeth sighed. "I'm a terrible girlfriend. I didn't mean to pressure you into anything, and now it's made everything all—" She made a wild gesture to finish her sentence. 

Percy chuckled, but he stepped forward and swept her into a hug. "You didn't do anything, relax." 

They stayed like that for a few seconds. Annabeth rested her head on his shoulder as his hands curled around her waist. 

"Remember our first date?" she asked, unable to help her mouth quirking up in the corner. "How awkward it was. I think we said a total of two things to each other in half an hour." 

Percy groaned, but she was laughing. "Don't remind me." He paused. "Don't even talk about our first date, what about the first time we really spoke?" 

It was Annabeth's turn to wince. "Oh, God." They drew apart, and Annabeth flushed embarrassedly. "I was actually headed the same way as you, but to avoid walking together, I made a giant round of the entire school." 

Percy's jaw dropped. "No way." 

"I know," she said, nodding gravely. "It's the reason I know it takes 7 whole minutes to circle the campus." Annabeth gestured to the stairs. "We can watch a movie. No one's home, which means we can put The Lion King on full volume." 

Percy made a face. "No, that'll make me cry even more." 

Annabeth grinned. "Ah, even better." She turned away to head up the stairs, but something stopped her. Percy's fingers brushing her wrist, sending a soft tingling up her arm. 

Annabeth stopped in her tracks, spinning around to face Percy at the time that he surged forward and pressed his lips to hers. 

A gasp escaped her. Instinct took over and Annabeth's hands sprung to his hair, slowly tangling her fingers in the strands.

Percy kissed like he did everything else — recklessly and without thought. It was the complete opposite of Annabeth, but maybe she was thinking far too much for a night like this. 

"You can touch me, you know," Annabeth murmured against his lips. "I won't break." 

It was hesitant, and the just the fingertips, but Annabeth felt him brush her cheek. 

"Wow," she whispered. "Cheek action. Saucy." 

Percy couldn't help it when he burst into laughter, almost bending down in front of her. "Watch out. Shoulder's next." 

"You're ridiculous," Annabeth snorted, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind her as she raced up the stairs. Maybe she was just attracted to morons. 

Percy yelped as he was hauled behind her, laughing as he almost fell off the staircase because of his socks. 

They reached the second floor stumbling over each other, a tangle of limbs, giggling to each other. Percy pulled her in for another kiss, and Annabeth melted into it this time, her back pressed against the wall by her bedroom door. 

"Helen won't be home tomorrow morning?" Percy whispered. 

Annabeth shook her head, smiling against his lips. "We're alone." Reaching up behind her head, Annabeth pulled out the hair tie holding the top half of her hair together and let the curls tumble down, irritatedly combing out the kink in it. 

"Are you sure about this?" Percy asked. "Because I've been celibate for a year. I can do it for a while more." 

Annabeth laughed. "I'm sure, Percy." 

And then, because Annabeth knew Percy would never, she made the first move. She tried to be gentle but ended up just roughly shoving his jacket off of his shoulders, it felt to the floor in a heap of black fabric, the rose lying abandoned. 

"Are you sure?" she asked softly. "You'd tell me if you weren't ready, right?" 

"Annabeth," Percy managed as he drew away from the kiss. His cheeks were flushed and his lips were red, raw from the kissing, and he was close enough for Annabeth to feel his heart racing in time with her own. "I'm extremely ready. You don't have to worry." 

Annabeth paused the kissing to give him a suspicious look. "You so could not be celibate for another year," she panted. 

"Tell you what?" he said breathlessly. "Tomorrow morning, we'll start a new competition about just that and I'll prove it to you." 

Annabeth pressed her lips to his, eliciting a pleasurable groan from Percy. "Deal. Prepare to lose." 

"Feel like I'm winning right now though," Percy said, his voice muffled. His fingers fumbled for the zipper, and Annabeth almost whined in annoyance when he pulled away. 

She glared at him. "If you ask me if I'm sure one more damn time—"

"I swear I won't," Percy said with a sheepish look. "But your dress is—" 

It took all Annabeth's energy not to laugh, but she mustered up all the strength she had and merely a grin came out. She turned around to help him with the zipper. The sound of it clicking at the end was one of finality. 

"Last chance to back out," she breathed. 

Percy pressed his forehead to hers, reaching up to cup his face in his right hand. "Not a chance," he whispered back. 

Annabeth led him to her bedroom, pushing the door open. Her heart was racing at a mile a minute as he followed her inside and made good on that promise.


	50. A Bittersweet Goodbye

Annabeth stood on her doorstep, staring at the rising sun. The sky was streaked messily with orange and pink, clouds blanketing the horizon as far as she could see. 

It was beautiful, and so, so bittersweet. Fitting. 

This was harder than she'd thought. She couldn't bring herself to budge from the door. Years of excitement had led up to this moment; moving away from home and delving into her future alone. Annabeth hadn't expected to feel this terrified. 

"Annabeth!" Helen called from the car. She was impatient, but her expression was understanding. "Time to go." All Annabeth's things were loaded up into the car for the short drive to Yale. 

Annabeth swallowed. She had had three whole months with Percy and her friends, simply enjoying their last moments together. Except that she'd been in denial about her leaving date until now. It had been circled on the calendar in the kitchen, but Annabeth took to ignoring it every time she passed the fridge. 

Hesitantly, Annabeth made her way down the steps. She didn't know how to feel, a brick of anxiety lodged in her chest. God, she wasn't ready to leave just yet. 

"Annabeth!" 

Annabeth's gaze snapped towards the sound, and her breath caught in her throat. A bunch of teenagers were making their way up the road to her house. It was too dark to see their faces, but Annabeth knew exactly who it was. 

She raced down the path, bursting through the front gate. Annabeth flung herself on Percy, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she buried her face in his shoulder. 

Their sighs of relief were released in unison. 

"You didn't think we'd let you leave without seeing you off, did you?" he chuckled. 

Annabeth drew away, but he didn't drop her hand, and she had never been happier for it. Leaning into his side, Annabeth turned around to see the her other five best friends standing behind Percy. 

"Not too long," Helen reminded her, but she disappeared into the driver's seat of the car, allowing Annabeth to make her final goodbyes. 

"I can't believe I'm not going to see you guys every day," Annabeth almost whimpered. They'd spent yesterday together in a farewell party at Piper's house, but that felt like a million miles away. 

She shuffled her feet. "Actually, I have a few things I need to say to you guys. I meant to, last night, but, um, we kind of got distracted." 

"You mean when Leo challenged Frank to a wrestling match," Piper snickered. 

As Leo launched into a ridiculous defence of his antics, Annabeth pulled Frank and Hazel aside. 

"Hey, so," Annabeth trailed off. 

"I'm gonna miss you so much," Frank's voice trembled, and Annabeth could see the rising sun glinting off the welling tears in his eyes. 

"Oh, Frank," she said miserably, pulling him in for a hug. "You're just the sweetest guy ever. I know we've only really known each other for two years, but I consider you one of my best friends, you know?" 

"Same here," Frank mumbled as they withdrew. "You're the smartest person I know, but you never rub it in my face. Thanks." 

"I used to think you were terrifying, and well, I couldn't have been more wrong," Annabeth said weakly. "And you, Hazel, you're the kindest person I've ever met. You're a big reason why we're all here today as friends. I can't imagine going to Yale without both of you being there." 

They enveloped her in a group hug that lasted for a few seconds that Annabeth savoured desperately. Oh, she really was going to miss them so much. 

As they rejoined the group, Annabeth could already see Percy coming over to comfort Hazel and Frank. She beckoned Piper and Leo over to the side, clasping her hands together as she tried to bring herself to speak without bursting into tears. 

"Now, you two, I met in high school," Annabeth breathed. "And I couldn't have been more glad that I did. I can't even begin to think what my life would be like without you in it, and I don't want to. Boring, for sure." 

"I am very good for comedic relief," Leo said, was his voice was cracking from emotion. 

"Thank you for always being there for me, especially when Jason and I got into our ridiculous fights. Thank you for trusting me with Percy, and for always having my back no matter what. I know I can rely on you guys," Annabeth managed before she started to sniffle. 

"And now you're leaving," Piper wailed. Piper never cried. She was the most positive person Annabeth knew, but she was crying now, hiccuping as she pulled her into a hug. 

"Doesn't change this, okay?" Annabeth said thickly, holding Piper tightly. "We're all still going to be friends. We've been through so much together. I won't ever forget you. That's a promise." 

When Piper slipped reluctantly from her grasp, Annabeth turned to give Leo a hug of his own. "Be careful while I'm gone," she warned. "Don't do anything too stupid." 

"No promises," Leo mumbled, his face scrunched up in an effort to hold back tears. 

Annabeth turned around, catching Jason's eye. He gave her a sad smile as she walked briskly to his side, attacking him with a hug that almost made him topple over. 

"Oh, man," he groaned, his hands clasping behind her back. "You've turned everyone into emotional wrecks." 

"Oh, shut up," Annabeth muttered. Jason was emotionless. Well, at least, she had made it very clear that she thought that ever the years. It wasn't that he wasn't her best friend or didn't appreciate her, but Jason had a certain...issue with showing affection. Even more so than Annabeth. 

He got awkward and panicked whenever anything even close to real emotions entered the conversation. Annabeth never found out how he and Piper got around that obstacle. 

"Jason, I'm going to say some things, and you're not allowed to make any jokes about it," she told him. 

Jason wrinkled his nose. "Doesn't sound like a good deal." 

"Too bad," she said impatiently.

They looked at each other and stifled laughs. 

"Jason," Annabeth steadied her voice, forcing herself to look him in the eye. "You were the first person I ever called my best friend. Growing up, I never had one. I never thought I'd need one. I thought it took up too much time, too much energy, and always resulted in fights between two possessive parties." 

"But then I met you in middle school," she continued. "And it was like we just-just clicked. You got my jokes, sometimes before I even voiced them aloud. And it was so good to share giggles behind the table, and then I finally got why people had best friends. You always, always had my back. You always defended me. Even when we fought - which was a lot - it didn't ever mean we weren't best friends anymore. We sat together every lunchtime and it became a staple in my life; being able to rely on you." 

Jason was completely still, and Annabeth warily looked him over. Was he about to explode or something? 

"Oh, damn it," he grumbled. "I love you, Annabeth." 

Annabeth "aww"ed before he marched up and determinedly gave her a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. This was something she was determined never to lose. All the friendships she'd made over the last few years. They were too important. 

Percy was looking over at her, Annabeth could see him, illuminated more now as morning arrived. The sky was painted gloriously behind him as if he was posing for a portrait. 

As Jason pulled away, he followed her gaze and rolled his eyes. "Go on, then." 

"I will call you every week," she promised. "You have to pick up." 

"Bold of you to think I won't be calling first," Jason fired back. 

Annabeth walked away from him towards Percy. She took a deep breath as she approached him. He looked both nervous and impatient. "So," she said. "I should probably go. Bye." 

She burst into laughter as Percy's jaw dropped and bewilderment washed over his features. 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" she insisted, grabbing his hands and pulling him away from the rest of the group. "Come on, did you really think I wouldn't say goodbye to you, Percy?" 

"That was so not funny," he muttered. "Almost gave me a heart attack." 

"I have something for you. Wait here," she instructed before she backed away to the car to grab the gift she'd wrapped hastily the other day. Annabeth returned to Percy's side, handing him the package. 

Percy weighed out the parcel in his right hand, frowning. "You got me a book," he deadpanned. "Me? A book? Really?" 

Annabeth glared at him. "Just open it."

He gave her one last "I still don't believe this" glance before he tore at the packaging, pulling out a cream-coloured book, pristine and brand new. 

"It's 'Sapiens'," Annabeth offered, knowing it would take him forever to make out the title in the dark. "That book we both borrowed." She shrugged. "Something, um, something to remember me by, I guess." 

Her words brought out the tears she'd held back since speaking to Frank and Hazel. But this was Percy. How could she say goodbye to him? 

Annabeth brushed at her eyes. "I-I never would've thought that I'd meet the love of life when I borrowed that stupid book. And I definitely wouldn't have thought that you'd become the best thing that's ever happened to me, Percy." 

Percy wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a hug, his eyes still lingering on the book cover. "Christ, Annabeth, I promised myself I wasn't going to cry today." 

Annabeth knew she couldn't stop her own tears now as they rolled down her cheeks. She hated crying, but it wasn't like Percy hadn't seen her when she was even more vulnerable than this. Reaching up, Annabeth brushed away the wetness under his eyes. 

"I love you," she said truthfully. "So much that sometimes I don't even know what to do with all of it." 

"Are you kidding?" Percy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I wake up every morning and I still can't believe that you chose to be with me. Me of all people. Can you believe it? It's like I'm still dreaming." 

"I promised you when we first started going out that I'd remind you every day." Annabeth tried for a teary smile. "Not a dream, Percy." 

"Let's make a promise," Percy said suddenly. "To make every effort possible to stay together. And I mean everything. Pulling out all the stops. I'm going to text you every single day." 

"Even if it's just what you had for breakfast," Annabeth repeated her words from before the summer. It felt like an eternity ago. "Even if it's an exotic apple." 

"Didn't have breakfast today," Percy mumbled. "I couldn't eat. All I wanted was to see you one last time." 

"This isn't it, though," Annabeth said slowly. "Percy, I'm sure of a lot of things. I've basically had my entire future planned out since I was a kid. But I've never been more sure of anything than I am about you." 

She mustered up all her courage. "I-Okay, this is probably going to scare you, but I-" Annabeth voice broke.

Percy let out a half-laugh half-sob. "I'll go," he reassured her. "I have something pretty scary to say too; I want to spend the rest of my life with you." 

"Damn it, you beat me to it," Annabeth muttered, but she was grinning wildly. Percy wanted her. Forever, apparently. 

"I love you," he whispered. 

Annabeth raised herself up to the tips of her toes as she kissed him gently, lacing her hand with his. 

"And I will love you till the end of time," Percy told her seriously. 

"Corny," she accused, but the jab was half-hearted.

"I mean it. You're stuck with me." 

Annabeth allowed herself a small smile. She squeezed his hand. "I'm okay with that." 

Percy walked her to the car. Annabeth yanked the door open, turning back to look at her friends one last time. 

This was how she wanted to remember them. Together and ready to face anything thrown at them. Fresh out of high school and determined to carve out their own paths. 

Annabeth didn't want to think about how things might change once she got in the car. How relationships would break and friendships would fade. Right now, she was hopeful. 

Percy gave her one last kiss before she climbed into the car and shut the door. The click was final, something that might've bothered her before, but now, staring at Percy and the encouraging grin he sent her, Annabeth felt like she could take on the world. 

"You alright?" Helen asked from the driver's seat, glancing over at her. 

Annabeth released a shaky breath. "Yeah," she said, and she was surprised to see that she meant it. She really was okay. 

Annabeth rolled down her window, sticking her hand out the side as Helen revved up the engine. 

"Bye!" she shouted in a spontaneous spur of energy, not caring that she'd probably woken up everyone on her street. "I love you guys! Don't forget me!" 

"Bye Annabeth!" Jason yelled, running after the car as Helen stepped on the gas pedal. Piper was laughing, grabbing Hazel by the arm as they started to sprint after her. 

There was a chorus of "Bye!"s as they tripped over themselves trying to chase her. Leo and Frank were running like their lives depended on it, yelling "Goodbye!" Percy waved like a lunatic, a massive grin on his face. 

Annabeth didn't stop waving until they were out of sight. 

It was a bittersweet ending, but in many more important ways, it was just the beginning.


	51. The Break-Up

[ 4 months after chapter 50 ]

"How bad do you think this is going to be?" Leo said to Annabeth, both of them huddled in the backseat. 

"On a scale of 1 to 10?" Annabeth asked. "15." She buried her face in her hands. "I feel like we're children in a divorce. And I actually am a child of divorce!" 

Percy found this conversation extremely amusing, but he had to admit even he was dreading the upcoming hours. For New Years' Eve, Percy and Jason had decided to throw a party. They were staying together in a rented apartment in Manhattan for the holidays anyway, so it made sense. 

"I'm sure they'll keep in civil, right?" Leo hinted. 

Percy and Annabeth simultaneously pulled a face. 

"You weren't there for the break-up," Annabeth warned. "It was..." She frowned. "It was bad." 

All of them had only been in college for about four months at this point. In had only taken two weeks for Piper and Jason to get into their first fight. Annabeth and Percy had front row seats to the entire fiasco. 

Annabeth was called by both Piper and Jason nearly everyday, and she was so bewildered and torn that she couldn't do more than nod. Percy and Jason were both in Manhattan, and frequently saw each other. 

Two months of constant arguing passed before Piper got on a train and came down to New York. Percy was relieved, thinking that they were going to kiss and make up. One of those things happened. 

Piper left New York without a boyfriend, and that was that. Percy had visited Jason in his dorm for three days in a row after the break-up, trying to make sure he ate actual meals and didn't drown himself in Cheetos. 

"It's only been a month," Annabeth groaned. "They have two options when they see each other; fight or pretend they don't exist. Neither are appealing at the moment." 

Percy didn't want to make the situation worse by bringing up how difficult it had been to convince Jason to invite Piper. Frank and Hazel were too far away to return just for a week, but Annabeth and Leo were returning to visit their families. Percy thought it'd be a good idea to at least have the five of them back together again. He was starting to rethink things. 

Leo slumped in his seat. "Can't believe we really thought everything would stay the same." 

"It was too difficult for them to be apart for so long," Annabeth told him. "Don't you remember the early days when they started dating? They were glued at the hip." 

Leo wrinkled his nose distastefully. "Good point. But then why haven't you two broken up?" 

Annabeth met Percy's gaze in the driver's mirror. "Well," Percy stopped. 

He didn't know quite what to say. Living in two different states definitely wasn't easy. The first few weeks before school began had been the absolute worst. There were...fights. Probably more fights within a week than they'd ever had before. 

But there was something essential to remember; he and Annabeth were polar opposites other than the fact that they were both the most stubborn people on the planet. 

They had made a promise to stay together (unless it got to the point where they were both absolutely miserable). And they were so determined to fulfil that they pulled through the fights. 

At one point, Percy had gotten in his car and driven up to Yale, shocking Annabeth still when she opened her door to see him. But that was all it took. Being together, even just for a couple of hours, reminded them just what they were fighting for. 

"We're lucky, I guess," Percy finished after a long pause. 

"Lots of close calls though," Annabeth crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. "Like when Percy went on a date with another woman." 

"Come on," he complained, flushing darkly at Leo's astonished look. "It was one time! She said she wanted help with writing a paper!" 

"How stupid can someone be?" Annabeth muttered, but Percy knew she found it funny too. She'd laughed for about two minutes before she even reached the capacity to be angry at him. 

"Pulling up now," Percy said, glad to change the subject as he reversed into the parking lot below their apartment. 

Annabeth and Leo were crashing with them for the few days they were here, so their luggage was in the trunk. Piper had, understandably, chosen to stay at home with her dad. She was only here for one night. 

They lugged their suitcases upstairs, and when Percy in locked the door, the party was already in full swing. He recognised most of the people; his university friends and Jason's college roommate and their friends. 

Percy glanced back to see Annabeth staring at the room with slightly widened eyes. Leo traipsed off to mingle and find Jason, taking his and Annabeth's suitcases, leaving them alone. 

"That's a lot of people," Annabeth whispered. 

Percy gave her a concerned look. "You okay?" 

"Yeah," she said sincerely. "Just...I forgot that we've got different friends now. It's...weird." 

"They're great," he promised. "Come on, I'll introduce you." 

There was Tyson, a hulking guy at NYU on a football scholarship. He was Percy's roommate, and despite his stature, had the mental age of a five-year old. The donuts he constantly ate was testament to that. 

Annabeth already knew Nico di Angelo and Grover Underwood. Grover was going to college at Parson's, a fact Percy only realised when he was hanging out with Jason and spotted him. Grover had been Percy's best friend growing up - pre-Gabe - and reconnecting with him had been pretty fun. Nico didn't have anything else to do, with Hazel gone, so Percy had invited him too. 

Jason appeared fifteen minutes after they arrived, smiling madly as he gave Annabeth a hug. Percy had grown closer to Jason since college began, and he knew just how much the two of them had missed each other. 

Then, two hours into the party, fashionably and purposefully late, came Piper. 

Luck was not on their side today because Jason answered the door, and when he opened it, he went white as a sheet. Piper had a similar reaction, looking like she'd seen a ghost. 

Percy and Leo exchanged wary glances. 

"Hi," Jason stammered. Piper managed a stiff nod, unable to meet his eyes. 

Leo winced beside Percy. "I'm experiencing second-hand awkwardness," Leo muttered into his cup. 

The rest of their guests were looking at them inquisitively. Most of them had heard about Jason's infamous girlfriend. Dakota, Jason's roommate, had repeatedly told him how stupid it was to go to college with a girlfriend, a prime time to explore the "sea of girls". Percy found this ironic because Dakota had been rejected more times than he could count. 

Percy half-expected Piper to just turn on her heel and leave. He couldn't blame her. But before she could, Percy surged forward with a bright "Piper!" 

Her shoulders visibly sagged as she hastily side-stepped around Jason and took the hug Percy offered. 

"Thanks," she whispered, almost imperceptibly quiet. When he stepped back, Percy did a double take. Piper had changed...a lot in the last three months. 

Her hair wasn't up in her usual braids, but hung around her face in short waves, just reaching her shoulders. A small streak of pink ran through her hair. 

"Piper!" Leo appeared at Percy's side, and Piper was grinning now, happy to see him. The two of them waddled around, locked in an embrace as they exchanged rapid-fire sentences. 

Percy turned to Jason cautiously. "You okay?" 

Jason pursed his lips. "No. But it's okay. It's just one night." The tension had dissipated slightly, but it was still thick enough to slice with a knife. 

The rest of the night was better, but not by much. Piper and Jason kept a safe distance of ten feet between them at all times, which sounded impossible in their tiny apartment, but somehow they managed it. 

Annabeth and Piper disappeared for a little bit towards midnight, but Percy saw them standing on the small balcony outside, huddled together and talking. Annabeth had confessed to him months ago that she was worried for her friendship with Piper. She'd started out as Jason's best friend first, but Piper had become one of her closest confidantes. Percy was glad to see that she'd decided to just talk to her about it. 

As the last minute to midnight began, Percy found himself on the couch, huddled between Annabeth and Jason. Leo walked up, Piper in tow, and forced her to sit down with him. 

Piper and Jason shared exactly half a second of eye contact before they looked away. 

"Can I just say," Percy cut in, unable to take it any longer. "That I know tonight wasn't...easy for all of us. But thank you for coming anyway. It was really good to see you guys." 

Once the elephant in the room was addressed, Annabeth looked like she was about to burst into hysteria. 

But Piper sighed, breaking the silence. "Same here. I didn't know if I wanted to come tonight, but it was nice to see everyone." She offered them a smile. "And," she trailed off, warily looking up at Jason. "I know that things aren't exactly peachy with us. But we aren't going to break up the group or anything. There isn't any need to take sides..."

"It was mutual," Jason said, nodding, staring at his lap. 

Percy released a slow breath. Things weren't much better, but it was good to clear the air. 

The countdown on the TV began. "10, 9, 8," he could hear the presenter start to chant, and the people in his apartment caught on, shouting as they counted down the seconds to the new year. 

"Okay, we're not going to be sad anymore," Leo declared, pulling Jason to his feet. The others reluctantly followed suit. "It's the new year. Come on!" 

Percy tried for a grin to break the tension as he turned to Annabeth. "Love you," he murmured. 

Annabeth smiled. "To another year with you," she whispered. 

"2!"

"1!"

Percy leaned down and kissed her.


	52. The Fear

[ 3 years after chapter 50 ]

"Leo!" Annabeth almost shrieked, jumping up to hug him as they clashed in the middle of the field on the campus of MIT. 

She knew they were probably getting weird looks, but she didn't care. "I haven't seen you in nine months," Annabeth said accusatorially. "What?" Video chats could only go so far. 

"I know!" Leo wailed, sitting down on the grass and yanking her down beside him. "I've been so busy." 

Jason walked up behind them and sat down, giving Leo a side-hug. "Hello." 

"The levels of enthusiasm here are sending me mixed messages," Leo said, raising his eyebrows. 

"Sorry," Jason mumbled. "We just came from Illinois." Annabeth, Percy and Jason had taken a roadtrip during their Thanksgiving break to tour the states. They'd spent a few days in Illinois with Frank, Hazel and Piper, and then left to find Leo, leaving Percy in Illinois with them. 

"Ah," Leo nodded. "Piper." 

"It's fine now," Jason said reassuringly, but he looked like he was trying to convince herself. "Well, I thought I was. I mean, it's almost been three years since we broke up. When we were staying in Illinois, it was fun too. It felt like we could be friends again." 

Leo frowned. "Then what's the problem?" 

Annabeth winced. "Piper's boyfriend came over on the last day." 

"Oh no." Leo scrunched up his face. "Is it Brett? It's Brett, isn't it? God, I hate that guy. He was horrible to me." 

"Not Brett," Annabeth corrected. "Vincent."

"Vincent," Jason tried out the name. "Even his name is annoying." 

Annabeth stifled a laugh. 

"Oh, shut up." Jason picked at the grass by his feet. "He's actually a great guy. The nicest person ever — damn it. And he's smart too. And sporty." 

Annabeth arched an eyebrow. "Is Piper dating him or are you?" 

"There's an obvious solution to this," Leo insisted. "Jason, you haven't dated anyone since Piper." 

"I did!" he protested. "I've been on so many dates!"

"Leo has a point," Annabeth agreed, rounding on Jason suspiciously. "Dates don't count — the only actual relationship you had that lasted more than a month was Emily. And you broke up with her last year." 

"Leo has no ground to stand on in this situation!" Jason said indignantly. "Calypso's studying at Berklee and he hasn't made a move!" 

"What?" Annabeth demanded, turning on Leo. "Is that true?" 

Leo had gone red to the roots of his hair. "I told you that in confidence, Jason." 

"If I'm going down I'm taking you with me," Jason told him. 

"Berklee's nearby!" Annabeth frowned. "Why haven't you done something about it?" 

Leo flopped onto his stomach, resting his chin on the heels of his palms. "I don't know," he stammered. "It's been four years! I haven't...We lost touch a month after she left New York. Isn't it weird to just go up to her one day?" 

Annabeth shrugged. "No. You guys dated for a bit. College is a good time to try new things anyway. I don't think she'd care." 

"Yeah, well," Leo stared at his hands. "I don't know if I want to risk it. The few weeks we had in high school were nice. I don't want to ruin the memories." 

What if she says 'yes'? Annabeth wanted to protest, but she could sense Leo's apprehension on the subject. 

"Oh, fine," she grumbled. "We won't talk about it anymore for a bit. How's school going anyway?" Annabeth couldn't help grinning at the shudders elicited from both men. 

"No one told me how difficult MIT would be," Leo said, wringing his hands. 

Jason gave him an incredulous. "Why did you just think it was prestigious?" 

Leo shrugged helplessly. "I don't know! They only took geniuses? I have three more years to go and I think I'm at serious risk of burnout. I swear, it's like the projects just never stop." He gave Jason a look of appraisal. "And what about you, anyway? Parson's going okay?" 

Jason winced. "Depends on what you mean by 'okay'." 

"Like, passing everything," Leo said vaguely. 

"Oh," Jason paused. "Then no." 

Annabeth laughed, and he shot her a glare. "Oh, come on," she insisted. "I'm sure it isn't as bad as you think it is." 

"Oh, believe me, it is," he snorted. "I should actually be studying over the holidays, but I'm just...too lazy to do it." 

Leo high-fived him. 

Leo squinted at Annabeth. "I bet you're doing fine at Yale." 

"That's because I don't procrastinate, unlike you two," Annabeth pointed out. 

"Ouch," Jason clutched at his chest. "That was harsh." 

They spent the rest of the day together, allowing Leo to show them around Boston. Unfortunately, he seemed to know even less about the place than the others, and Annabeth was delighted to share the trivia she'd picked up about the city as they explored. It was safe to say that Jason and Leo didn't find it as entertaining. 

When they reached one of the college bars, they got a booth and ordered a few drinks. Annabeth nudged Jason. "Why don't you go up to the bar and ask someone out?" 

Jason gave her an incredulous look. "Are—are you insane?" he hissed. 

"Relax," she rolled her eyes. "We're spending a night here. You might as well—" She gestured wildly. "—make the most of it." 

"No!" Jason blushed hotly. "You know I don't do that." 

"Oh, not like that," Annabeth said exasperatedly. "I mean, just talk to her for the night. Get your mind off of Piper." 

That seemed to intrigue him. Annabeth knew Jason had been more affected by Vincent and Piper than he let on. He'd gotten over Piper long ago, but occasionally things like this would bring up buried feelings. 

"Go," she insisted, shoving him out of the booth. 

Leo returned to their table holding three mugs of beer, glancing back curiously as Jason stumbled over to a girl with curly back hair. 

"Why is he talking to Winnie?" Leo asked as he slid back into his seat, pushing one of the drinks over to Annabeth. 

"Why not?" Annabeth took a sip of her drink and pulled a face. "Urgh, I knew I should've gotten a cocktail. I told him to go talk to her and stop thinking about Piper." 

Leo regarded her carefully. "So you're not going to tell him what Piper said?" 

Annabeth gripped her mug tightly. "What's there to tell?" 

"You texted me about it," Leo lowered his voice. "That she said she misses him." 

Annabeth sighed, running a hand through her hair, untangling the strands. "Yeah, I know. But she wasn't clear about whether it was as a friend or not. Plus, she seemed so happy with Vincent. Mentioning it to Jason would only make him more miserable." 

There were a few beats of silence. 

"Do you think it'll ever go back to normal?" Annabeth asked quietly. 

Leo set down his cup, silent. "I don't know," he said at last. "But even without the break-up, I don't think anything would've stayed the same. I mean, we knew that people lose touch after high school." 

"We just didn't realise how easily that would happen," Annabeth agreed. She rubbed at her eyes. "We haven't all seen each other in two years, Leo. That's...Well, it should feel longer than that. But time's flown by and everything's changed. I don't think the seven of us will ever be exactly like it used to be." 

"Depressing," Leo muttered into his glass. 

"Yeah," she said softly. 

"How are you and Percy?" Leo enquired. "I mean, we've talk about Jason and Piper. Are you guys doing okay?" 

"It's harder than we thought," she admitted. "It's, um, a lot of crying." Annabeth bit her lip. "We almost broke up over Christmas." 

Leo winced. "Oh no." 

"We didn't," she assured. "But it was close." Annabeth swallowed. "Actually, we're thinking of moving in together." 

"What?" Leo's splutter was supported by him fumbling with and almost dropping his mug. The drink sloshed and splattered onto the table. "How—Why havent you mentioned this?" 

Annabeth covered her face with her hands. "I don't know," she said, her voice muffled. She took a deep breath. "I haven't told anyone about this so don't say anything to Jason. Percy brought it up during the fight where we almost broke up. Neither of us have to live on campus anymore, and Percy said he'd come over New Haven." 

"But he's still in school," Leo said, puzzled. "Is gonna commute?" 

"That's what I said!" Annabeth paused and allowed herself a small smile. "Percy said he would drive two hours just to be with me on the weekends." 

"I hate how single you make me feel," Leo said with a scowl. "So...do you think you'll do it?" 

Annabeth shrugged helplessly. "I genuinely don't know. Maybe we should wait a bit. We're barely in our twneties. It's a little early to commit, isn't it?" 

Leo scoffed. "Are you kidding me? I've known you two we're gonna get married since we were 17." 

Annabeth blinked. "What?" 

"Come on, you guys are one of those couples who actually make it through long distance and all that," Leo waved a hand dismissively. "Trust me, Annabeth. The issue here isn't commitment. It's you being scared." 

Annabeth blushed. "You think?" 

"Look at me in the eye and tell me you don't want to marry Percy someday."

Annabeth frowned. "Damn it." 

"My point exactly!" Leo said. "Look, moving in together's a big step, I agree. But if it's killing you to be away from him all the time, then maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing." 

"It does sound like something I would want," Annabeth admitted.

"So wait till you graduate," Leo suggested. "It's only one more year. He'll be working or whatever he wants to do after college, and that's always more flexible for a relationship." 

"I'll still have three years of law at Yale," Annabeth said with a sigh. "I don't even want to think about what a long time that'll be." 

"Well, you can live together during those three years," Leo pointed out. "Right?" 

Annabeth mulled over the thought. "Yeah, you're right." 

"It's rare," Leo sipped his drink. "But occasionally it does happen." Annabeth laughed, eliciting a chuckle from him. 

"Thanks, Leo," she said truthfully. "It's good to talk this over with someone else." 

"That's what I'm good for," Leo promised. "Engineer and emotional guru. That should go on my resumé."


	53. The Wedding

[ 5 years after chapter 50 ]

"Oh, the place is beautiful," Piper breathed as she, Percy and Leo walked into the banquet hall. Fairy lights adorned the walls, wrapped around bouquets of flowers. There were six tables draped in white tablecloths; a wedding party not too large or too small. 

"We're at table 3," Leo informed them, passing the respective placards to Piper and Percy. 

Frank and Hazel had moved to Long Island after they both graduated from college. Jason liked to joke and call them the picture-perfect relationship. Percy had to admit that he agreed. Hazel and Frank never, ever had a fight, and one day, he received their beautiful wedding invitation in the mail. 

The banquet hall was on Long Island, and it wasn't too intimate a wedding, but their families and friends were present, making up about thirty guests. 

All of their high school circle of friends had been invited, but Jason and Annabeth weren't able to make it. Jason had just started as an intern at an architecture firm and was struggling to work his way up to a junior position. Annabeth had just begun law school at Yale and was finally faced with a challenge large enough that it warranted her to stay home and study over the weekends. 

Piper and Leo were coming as each other's dates — platonically, of course. Piper and Vincent had just broken up a few months ago, and Leo couldn't be bothered to find a date. Besides, this was Hazel and Frank, a random stranger attending maybe wasn't the best idea. 

At the first table were Frank's grandma, his parents and Hazel's parents. Standing nearby was Hazel's brother Nico. 

Percy caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair. He elbowed Piper. "Who's that next to Nico?" 

She peered at them for a few seconds before whirling around to grip Percy's arm in astonishment. "Oh my God, that's Will!" 

Leo responded with a bewildered expression matching Percy's. "Who's Will?" 

"Will Solace," Piper clarified impatiently. "From high school! He was on the football team? Blonde, tall, tanned? There was a rumour he was gay?" 

"Oh, that Will!" Percy finally remembered. He turned back to get a better look at him and Nico. "I can't believe it. That has got to be the most unexpected thing to happen." 

"Quit staring," Piper suddenly hissed. "They're heading over here. Sit, sit, sit." There was a commotion as they shuffled to sit down and look nonchalant. 

Will was the first to speak as he pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling brightly. "It's crazy to see you guys here. It's been, what, five years?" 

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Percy was the first one to recover from the initial shock and answer. 

"Have you kept in touch with Hazel and Frank this whole time?" Will shrugged. "I mean, I remember you all being really close but it's so difficult to keep in touch with anyone after high school." 

"Yeah," Leo trailed off. "Yeah, no, we do try to text every now and then. Sorry, we're just, kind of, in shock — are you and Nico here together?" 

Percy buried his face in his hands, already feeling his cheeks burning bright red from second-hand embarrassment. Leo could be terribly blunt sometimes — and this was Percy saying that. 

Nico, who had always struck Percy as a little creepy, actually flashed a half-smile which was even more shocking than anything else that had happened today. "It's okay," he said. "Most people don't believe it the first time." 

"Did you guys get together back in our senior year?" Piper asked curiously. 

"No, no," Will snorted. "College. Nico was...preoccupied in high school." He stifled a snicker, earning a glare from his boyfriend. 

"Preoccupied?" Percy echoed. 

Nico looked like he wanted to dig a hole and tunnel out of the room. He winced. "I had a massive crush on you back in high school."

Percy choked on his own breath and started hacking out coughs. "Sorry—you—what?" 

Leo had burst into laughter and Piper looked like she was about to burst a lung holding hers in. 

"Yeah, sorry," Nico said with a sheepish look. "Could you, like, not tell Annabeth? She might come beat me up or something." 

It took Percy about five seconds to regain his wits. Nico was Hazel's younger brother. God, she would've murdered him if she'd known. 

"Annabeth?" Percy snorted. "Trust me, she would find this hilarious. I'm never telling her." 

Leo grinned. "Already texted her." 

"I hate you," Percy mumbled. "This is why I don't see you more than once a year."

"Aw, I know you're lying, I'm your favourite," Leo said dismissively. 

A slow hush washed over the hall, which Percy took as the cue for the ceremony to start. 

There was the sound of footsteps as Frank ran out from the door, hurrying up to the podium with an embarrassed expression. He gave them a small wave and smile as he passed. 

There were a few thuds as the musicians started to play their instruments. Beautiful violin music started to flow into the room. 

Beside him, Leo abruptly stiffened, growing rigid as his mouth hung open slightly. 

Percy gave him a sidelong glance, then followed Leo's frozen gaze to the front of the room. Percy did a double take. 

Calypso was playing the violin. Her hair was cropped to her shoulders and had bleached streaks, and she was wearing coloured eyeliner, but there was no doubt that it was Calypso. 

"That's her. I'm not dreaming, am I?" Leo whispered to Piper, his eyes glued to the orchestra. Piper shook her head. 

The rest of the ceremony was beautiful. Hazel stepped into the room dressed in a flowing white dress and with her hair in its natural state under a thin mesh veil. She looked gorgeous, even as she almost began to cry when she reached Frank's side. 

Leo didn't tear his gaze away from Calypso until the vows began. Percy sneaked a glance her way. Calypso hadn't noticed Leo yet. Hazel and Frank had to know about this. They'd probably arranged it. Percy vaguely recalled Annabeth mentioning Calypso to him a few years ago, and wondered if she had something to do with this. 

The vows involved a lot of hiccup breaks and sniffling, but they managed to get through it. Percy couldn't help the crazy grin that spread from ear to ear; he'd known them for almost a decade at this point, and Hazel and Frank were meant to be. 

The whole wedding also made him think of Annabeth. He missed her — a lot. He probably should be used to being apart from her by now, but Percy still felt her absence like a hole in his heart when she was gone. 

They'd moved in together over the summer. It had come with its own problems; Annabeth being absent-minded when she was "in the zone" and working for almost 24 hours without stop, Percy having to work late because he was still a first-year police officer, bills that had to be paid and emptied their bank accounts. 

But it was also extremely worth it because Percy got to see her on the weekends. He would drive down for work on Monday morning, stay with his mother and Paul for weeknights, and then drive back to Annabeth on Friday. 

They'd discussed the complicated situation, and had reached the decision that the second Annabeth was done with law school, they'd shift over to Manhattan. It had always been Annabeth's dream to live in a big city like that and what better place to start than New York City? 

Percy was also peripherally aware of the direction they were headed in; him and Annabeth standing in a banquet hall like this one in a couple of years' time at their own wedding. To be honest, he didn't mind. The idea gave him butterflies but it also made him remember that he'd been sure about Annabeth since they were in high school. 

There was no way they were the same people as when they were 17, but they'd grown together over the years, and they still fit together like two puzzle pieces. 

Percy mulled over these thoughts as Frank and Hazel exchanged rings, and then that was that — they were married. It blew his mind. They were young, sure, but he'd known them when they were all 14, and now they were married adults. That was insane. 

Cheers and applause echoed around the banquet hall as Frank twirled Hazel around and kissed her, both of them smiling madly. 

It was another hour before Percy actually got to speak to either of them. Hazel had ditched her veil and put her hair up into a ponytail weaved with flowers, and the newlyweds were making rounds to greet the guests. 

After they passed the tables with their families, Hazel raced over to them, her eyes sparkling delightedly as she took in the sight of them all in the same place. 

"Oh my God, you guys have no idea how good it is to see you!" she gushed, giving Nico a hug. They exchanged a few whispered words of congratulations, sharing a smile. 

Percy swept Hazel up into a hug, practically lifting her off her feet. "You're still tiny, Hazel. That hasn't changed." 

She hit him on the arm with a glare. "You have to be nice to me today. I'm paying for your dinner." 

Percy gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm seriously happy for you, Hazel. You have no idea." He stepped around her to give Frank a hug. 

Frank was beaming. "Percy!" He clapped him on the back before he withdrew, his eyes wide. "I can't stop smiling. My cheeks hurt but it's like I can't even control them anymore." 

Percy chuckled. "Okay, Frank." 

He turned around to see Hazel approach Leo, who was still looking slightly lost and speechless. 

"Ah," Hazel realised. "You saw Calypso." 

"Did you know she would be here?" Leo spluttered. "And you didn't give me any warning?" 

"We thought it'd be a nice surprise," Hazel said innocently, a glint in her eye that said otherwise. "The music company we were recommended had her in it. I thought; why not?" 

Leo dived behind her suddenly, crouching. "Oh my God, she looked over. Did she see me? Did she see me?" 

Piper crossed her arms. "You know, this would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Leo, just go up to her. Nothing's stopping you." 

"What if she says 'no'?" Leo demanded. 

Piper flapped her arms impatiently. "You'll never see her again!" she reminded exasperatedly. "Go, Leo!" 

Six urging stares seemed to finally convince Leo. He slowly left their high school semi-reunion to walk up to Calypso, repeating a mantra under his breath.


	54. The Graduation

[ 7 years after chapter 50 ]

"I don't get why you're so eager to whisk me away," Annabeth laughed as Percy led her down the street outside the university. 

"You'll see," Percy insisted, grinning. "Come on! You're so slow!" 

"I'm in heels, Percy!" Annabeth reminded him. "I can easily break your toes." 

It was the day of her graduation. Seven exhausting years of studying had culminated in this final day where she got her diploma and got to proudly say that she was officially a lawyer. She'd worked so incredibly hard for the position of junior associate at Georges & Buza, a firm of criminal attorneys in Manhattan, and had received the email confirming her place there a few days ago. 

Annabeth was decked out in her graduation robes and cap, which according to Percy made her look "like a sexy graduate", to which Annabeth replied "that's what I am" and then they'd laughed during the opening ceremony and received ugly looks from surrounding guests. 

Annabeth's parents had been at the graduation, as well as her other, as Percy called them, "lawyer friends", and she'd had a few hours to speak to them after the ceremony, but then Percy had made her promise to follow him, no questions asked, at 7 o'clock. 

Percy came to a screeching halt beside Paul's, a bar down the road from the college. He turned around to face her, cheeks red from running and looking like he was seconds away from bursting from excitement. 

"This is my grand surprise?" Annabeth demanded. "Paul's? A bar I come to every single time I have a bad exam?" 

Percy rolled his eyes impatiently. "Come on." He pushed the glass doors open, dragging her inside behind him. 

Annabeth stumbled to stop inside, basking in the warmth as she scanned the bar. She froze when she spotted five familiar faces in a booth to the right of the room. 

It was—

It was them. All of them. 

Hazel's curls reached her waist, and a pair of glasses perched on Jason's nose, and Frank's eyes were more brown than black, and Leo's mess of hair was cropped close to his head, and Piper's eyes had crinkles at the ends — but it was still them. 

"No way," she murmured, shooting Percy an astonished look. He grinned, gesturing her forward. 

Annabeth released his hand and surged forward. Jason was the first to spot her, his expression brightening instantly as he leaped to his feet and caught her in a staggering hug.

"What are you guys doing here?" she almost shrieked, looking around at them. Annabeth had to go over their faces a few times before she could believe that she wasn't dreaming. 

"It's your graduation!" Piper said exasperatedly. "How could we miss this?" 

Frank leaned back against the wall. "Because apparently our wedding just wasn't important enough." But he was smiling too. 

Annabeth wanted to snap a picture of this. Hell, she wanted a portrait painted and to frame it up on her wall. She hadn't seen all seven of them together in seven years — not since the morning she'd got in Helen's car and left for Yale. Annabeth had spent a few days scattered throughout each year with a few of them, but never all in one place and at one time. 

This was...this was...

"Amazing," Annabeth declared to her boyfriend, who had pulled up two chairs for them from another table. She took off her cap and hung it off the back of her chair, reaching over the squeeze Percy's hand. "I—I can't believe you're all here. I haven't seen you all since we graduated. Was the drive long?" 

"No," Percy laughed. "See, that's how I worked this out. I mean, I was talking to Jason the other day about him moving to Queens, when I realised that, if I took everyone's locations in one go — we were all in New York." 

Annabeth faltered. "What?" She did a quick scan of the table. Jason was, finally, a junior architect at his firm in Queens, Piper was doing market research for Gucci and living in Brooklyn, and Leo, who'd graduated last year, was working for NASA at their headquarters in New York while staying in The Bronx to save money. Yeah, she'd known that the three of them were in New York City, but they were all so busy with their lives that seeing each other was still just as rare as when they'd been out-of-state. But— "What about Frank and Hazel?" 

"That's the most important bit," Percy said, swivelling to face her. "Frank and Hazel just bought a place in Long Island." 

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me," she gasped. "That's—that's amazing! Why haven't I heard about this?" 

"Well, we wanted to tell you in person," Hazel pointed out. "Percy was the only one we'd told, and when we did, he realised that not only are we all close enough to Yale to drive — we're also—"

"All in the same state!" Percy interjected, grinning. "Sorry, I got too excited." 

Annabeth shook her head in disbelief. "Wow, I mean, it only took seven years, but..." 

"Finally," Jason agreed, nodding. 

"And once we move into our apartment in Manhattan," Percy told her. "We'll be done. All seven of us will be in New York again." 

"Mind, this doesn't mean we'll see each other every week," Leo snorted. "Working for NASA is terrible. I mean, the work's great and all, but I have to be an engineer and get people coffee." 

"Oh, I did that for two years before I got appointed junior architect," Jason snickered. "Wouldn't wanna be you." 

"Can't relate," Percy sighed with a smirk. 

Annabeth leaned back as conversation picked up like it was the most natural thing in the world. 7 years might've changed a whole lot, but she was bursting with happiness to see that this wasn't one of those things. 

"What's up?" Percy whispered to her, noticing her silence. 

Annabeth bit her lip and blinked the sudden moisture out of her eyes. "Oh, no, nothing," she fussed, brushing her hair out of her face. "Just...glad to see everyone." 

"Aw," Leo said triumphantly. "You're tearing up."

Piper scoffed. "Please, like you weren't sobbing your eyes out an hour ago." Jason snickered, exchanging a knowing look with Piper. 

Annabeth glanced over at Percy, widening her eyes. 

I know, Percy mouthed, equally aghast. 

"What's the first thing we should do once we're all back in New York?" Frank mused. 

"I want to see the NASA headquarters," Annabeth demanded, staring pointedly at Leo. 

"Um," Leo stammered, probably a second away from nervous sweat. 

"It'll have to be after August," Hazel reminded. "Museum's having a limited-time exhibition and I'm up for a job against this guy, Octavian—" 

"Who is a massive dick," Frank interjected with a sombre nod. 

"And that's Frank saying that," Hazel added. 

"We should go to the exhibition," Percy said decidedly. "Intimidate him." 

Hazel shrugged. "I don't think it'll work unless Annabeth's there." 

Jason's mouth fell open. "We are scary!" 

"I'm not saying you aren't!" Hazel protested, but the twitching of her cheek indicated otherwise. "I'm just saying—"

"No one has perfected the glare except for me," Annabeth finished with a smirk. "Face facts, Jason. I'm overturning the blonde stereotypes one by one. Plus, now I can legally threaten him too. I have a degree." 

Percy frowned. "I-I don't think that's how it works—"

Annabeth folded her arms. "Would you like to be on the receiving end of the glare?"

"No, ma'am," Percy muttered.


	55. The End

[ 7 years and 6 hours after chapter 50 ]

"So." Percy paused, jumping onto Annabeth's couch. "Do I win the prize for best boyfriend or what?" 

Annabeth rolled her eyes, but she couldn't peel the grin off her face. "Yes. Fine." 

He laughed. "Now that's what I'm talking about." 

Annabeth kicked off her heels, setting her bag down on the counter. She glanced up at the picture on her mantle. It was of her and Percy, lounging under that tree at school. He was asleep in her lap and she had a book propped up in front of her face. Leo had snapped that picture more than 7 years ago. 

Annabeth swallowed. The bag she'd brought to the graduation was her one nice bag. It was just big enough to hold the million things she couldn't live without and small enough to be considered appropriate at a black-tie event. 

Her phone, keys, charger, notebook and pens were in inside. And right at the bottom, where she'd made sure Percy wouldn't be able to find it, was a ring box smaller than her fist. 

About six months ago, Annabeth began to look at Percy differently. It wasn't much of a difference, in fact, it was so minuscule she almost didn't pick up on it. 

She began looking at him like he was the one she was going to spend the rest of her life with. Sure, they'd been together for a long time now - 8 years. Percy was her best friend, her other half, but then, he also became the person she wanted to marry. 

And she waited impatiently for it to happen. 8 years - surely Percy would pop the question. But he never indicated even the slightest interest in getting married. In taking the next step together.

So Annabeth took things into her own hands, dragging Helen along with her to shop for rings over her Christmas break. It was near impossible to choose one; Annabeth was only ever going to do this once, and she wanted to do it right. 

But eventually she did. Annabeth wasn't sure what the protocol was when a girl proposed to a guy. There should be more media coverage on it, really. He probably wouldn't wear it - Percy was much more of a wedding ring than an engagement ring type of guy. 

The ring wasn't anything too fancy - a silver band with small inset diamonds that curved along the left edge. But the inside of the ring was inscribed with "I love you". 

Now that was the most important thing to know, right? 

"What do you want to do?" Percy called from the living room. "Everything's packed. We leave for New York tomorrow. I'm pretty sure the apartment's ready so we can pick up the keys immediately-"

"Slow down," Annabeth laughed, strolling into the room. The box dug into her leg, sitting in her pocket and feeling like it weighed five tonnes.

"Just trying to be efficient," Percy reminded. He got up off the couch, packing up some of the smaller figurines into the last few empty boxes. 

"Exactly what I look for in a man." Annabeth walked up to him, glancing at him. He was just Percy, but he was also Percy. 

She took a deep breath. "Percy," Annabeth managed. 

"Mhm?" 

She reached her hand inside her pocket, fiddling with the box. "I-"

Percy turned around this time and the full force of his eyes made her still, wordless. 

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, so, did you have something to say or are we just gonna...stand here for a bit?" 

"You're so annoying," Annabeth blurted out before she could stop herself, pulling the ring box out from her pocket and snapping it open. 

The exact moment Percy's face went slack with astonishment was a moment Annabeth wanted to remember forever. His eyes widened and he looked like he was on the verge of a heart attack, his gaze hovering on the ring in her hands. 

Annabeth released a shaky breath. "So, Percy. I-I train for this - speaking, I mean. It's kind of my career for the next 60 years; keeping my wits about me in crazy situations." She swallowed. "But I'm standing her with a ring in my hands and, like, one question to ask you, and I can't get it out. I can't even think of what to say, and I'm rambling, because you never fail to leave my speechless." 

She tucked her hair behind one ear. "And I-I never want that to stop. I never want to stop feeling this way around you - excited and with so much of our lives ahead, unplanned and undecided. But I'm also sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I mean, the wedding, the family, gossiping at events, growing old together - the-the whole thing." 

"Because I love you, Percy," she sighed. "I really, really do. I can't imagine my life without you, and this...this is a promise that I won't ever have to - Percy Jackson, will you marry me?" 

Time froze as Percy remained silent, his eyes glued to the ring. Annabeth couldn't breathe, in fact she felt her heart hammering wildly and her lungs were starting to burn, but she was about a second away from hysteria if Percy didn't answer. 

She'd explored every single possibility except for one - proposing in a restaurant, an emergency fire alarm interrupting her big cheesy speech, the ring getting lost in the garbage disposal, Percy finding the ring prior to her actually using it. But she'd never even thought to consider what might happen if Percy said no. 

"Annabeth..." Percy trailed off. 

Annabeth paled. "Oh no. Oh no. It's too soon, isn't it? I'm sorry. It's just that this isn't the kind of thing I could've consulted you...on...." Her words were lost as Percy reached into his pocket and withdrew his hand with his fingers grasping something that sparkled under the lights. 

A ring. A ring with a nested diamond. An engagement ring with a nested diamond, to be exact. 

"Holy shit," was all Annabeth could think to say when she realised what was happening. 

"I thought I'd do it on the drive to Manhattan," Percy said helplessly. "You know, when we past the New York suburbs. Where we first met." 

Annabeth pursed her lips. 

"Damn it," she finally said, after a few moments of silence. "I hate how much better you are at this than me." 

Percy's face broke into amusement. "No, no, the ring is nice and everything-"

"No," she groaned. "I didn't even think of that. The best I could do was our crappy apartment in Connecticut - surrounded by moving boxes!" 

Percy was laughing now, his face flaming red in an attempt to stifle it. "No, look, come on. It's nice. A goodbye to the apartment!" 

"Oh, shut up," she grumbled. 

"See, okay, it's fine," Percy insisted as he adjusted the dimmer by the light switch. "We'll just-"

The ceiling lights flickered a few times before they went out completely, abruptly plunging Annabeth   
and darkness. 

"...the lights are faulty," Annabeth said to the pitch blackness. "Hence the crappy apartment." 

"I forgot," came Percy's sheepish reply. 

Annabeth turned the torchlight on her phone on. The white light cast a small glow on them, and Percy shuffled closer to bask in it. "No moving. One of us is gonna trip over something and there's no way I'm telling people a trip to the hospital is how we decided to get married." 

"Excuse me?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "I haven't actually answered you yet. I could say 'no'." 

Annabeth stared at him. "You're so annoying," she repeated. 

He feigned thoughtfulness. "See, because there's so much to think about. I mean-"

"Oh, come on," she protested. "You have a ring! That's an implied 'yes'!" 

"But it doesn't work unless I actually say it!" 

"I will take it back," Annabeth threatened, trying not to drop her phone or the ring. 

"It's a proposal!" Percy said indignantly. "You can't take it back!" 

Annabeth scoffed. "Watch me." 

"You know, I think you need to repeat the question," Percy informed her. "I didn't hear it-"

Annabeth glared at him. "Are you gonna marry me or not, you idiot?" 

Percy grinned. "Only because you asked so lovingly." 

Annabeth blinked. "Wait, that-that's a 'yes', right?" 

"Yes, that's a 'yes'," Percy laughed. "I will marry you, God, of course, I will, Annabeth." 

He grabbed the phone from her and leaned in for a kiss, fumbling for the ring as he slid it on his finger. 

"It says 'I love you' on the inside," Annabeth mumbled against his mouth as he brushed another kiss past her lips. 

"Not enough," Percy said when he drew away. "You'll have to tell me everyday. Otherwise I'll forget. I'm like a goldfish - bad short term memory." 

"Yes," Annabeth told him. "And I mean, I'll tell you everyday. Not 'yes' to that weird goldfish thing." She couldn't help the smile that broke out across her face as Percy slid his ring onto her hand. 

She glanced up and looked at him properly this time. The light from her phone should've made him look pale and ghastly, but instead she saw the reflection of herself in his eyes. Eyes that looked like the only thing he saw in the world was her. 

She smiled. "Not a dream, Percy." 

Percy grinned back, his fingers brushing against her cheek as he leaned down to kiss her. "Not a dream."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Readers,
> 
> I can't believe it's over. I mean, I played around with the idea for this story for about six months before I even started writing it. But what really shocked me the most, was the amount of attention it received. 
> 
> This book has over 100K views (at time of writing), and I'm still in utter disbelief. So many people have put their love for this story in the comments, and whenever I had writer's block or became discouraged from finishing the book, those words really spurred me on. 
> 
> Writing this book has been a rollercoaster for me. I pretty much wrote blocks of chapters in one go, and then took a long, long break from writing. And every time I came back to it, I loved it even more. It's safe to say that I've become as invested in this story as all of you are. 
> 
> A year-long project like this is near-impossible to let go of. It does help that I'm planning to continue writing (I'll talk about that more later). But I've written about 55 chapters, and I think it's time to finish. 
> 
> Here are some answers to frequently asked questions: As of right now, this book will just be a standalone. So many people have been asking for a sequel, and I've been (happily) pressured into adding five bonus chapters as a "part three". If I were to write a sequel, it would probably be of Percy and Annabeth navigating their adult life, but don't get your hopes up because I'm still undecided. 
> 
> I left Piper and Jason as a rather open-ended question, partly because of how Trials of Apollo has changed my view of their relationship, but mostly because I think every single high school relationship ending happily is slightly unrealistic. You're free to imagine their ending however you want; whether they never speak again, or they decide to remain friends, or they get back together (an ending I was very tempted to write). 
> 
> The same goes for Leo and Calypso. I think it's extremely cliché for all relationships when they were 17 to work out, so you're free to imagine what you want with them. I couldn't bring myself to explicitly state that she turned him down (mostly because Leo deserves love), so it could've gone either way; up to you. 
> 
> Next, I wanted to let you all know that I'm starting a new book after this! At first, I was reluctant to keep on writing when I'm so swamped with work, but I've come across a plot I'm so passionate about I changed my mind. 
> 
> The story is "What Happened After Happily Ever After". If you could take a quick look at it, the first few chapters are up. It follows Percy and Annabeth - again in a mortal world - after 4 years of marriage, from her perspective, and how fed up she is of the lack of love between them. Of course, we can't just leave it there, and as Percy's past is uncovered, new dangers bear down on them, forcing her to re-evaluate everything about their (not-so) perfect domestic life. 
> 
> Finally, I want to thank all of you for your appreciation for this story! Reading your comments often make my day, and thank you for letting me know how much you loved it too. I couldn't have done this without your support, so thanking you is easily the most important part of this final afterword. 
> 
> Sincerely,  
> An incredibly grateful writer


End file.
